August 2025: Research Integrity in Scholarly Publishing

Researchers are under increasing pressure to “publish or perish” in the academic ecosystem, which leads some to employ unethical practices to increase their publication metrics. With so many scandals rocking the research world—mass retractions, paper mills, falsified data, misuse of AI—how do IFT’s journal editors ensure the integrity of the research they publish? IFT’s journals have a strong reputation for publishing quality research, but you might be surprised at how many problematic submissions are screened out before and during the peer-review process. In this chat with the editors-in-chief of IFT’s journals, learn about the most common issues, how IFT’s journals assess research to identify possible problems, and how you can avoid making common mistakes in your research.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT’s Science and Policy Initiatives, your food science advocate elevating the central role of food science in food and nutrition security, food safety, and sustainable food systems, and championing the adoption of science-based regulations in policies and legislation. Learn more at Policy & Advocacy.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

GUESTS

Amanda Ferguson is director, IFT Scientific Journals at the Institute of Food Technologists, where she works closely with editors, authors, reviewers, and the association’s publishing partners. She has been at IFT for more than 22 years. Outside of work, she volunteers for her local humane society and for a community science project tracking wildlife.

Richard W. Hartel, PhD, is a professor of food engineering with the Department of Food Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He conducts research on phase transitions in foods, primarily sugar confections, chocolate, and ice cream. In the past, Richard served as editor-in-chief for both Food Reviews International and the Journal of the American Oil Chemist’s Society. He is currently editor-in-chief of the Journal of Food Science.

Mary Ellen Camire is the editor-in-chief of Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety and a professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Maine School of Food & Agriculture. Her research interests include consumer acceptability of healthful foods and developing healthy products and processes. Mary Ellen was the 75th president of the Institute of Food Technologists in 2014-2015.