Peer Review Process

🔍 01. Peer Review Policy and Evaluation System

The Journal of Advanced Food Technology, Cultivation, and Innovation (JAFTCI) applies a rigorous double-blind peer-review system to maintain scientific quality, editorial independence, fairness, confidentiality, and integrity throughout the manuscript evaluation process. Under this system, the identities of authors and peer reviewers are concealed from one another, while authorized editorial personnel retain the information required to administer manuscript evaluation.

Each manuscript that successfully passes the initial editorial screening is evaluated by at least two independent peer reviewers with relevant disciplinary expertise. Reviewers assess the scientific originality, relevance, methodological soundness, analytical rigor, reliability of findings, and contribution of submitted manuscripts to the development of knowledge in food technology, cultivation sciences, sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, biotechnology, and technological innovation.

The review process is coordinated by the responsible academic editor under the supervision of the Editor-in-Chief. Peer reviewers provide independent recommendations, while the final editorial decision is determined by the authorized academic editor after considering the review reports, author revisions, scientific quality, and compliance with the journal's editorial standards.

🛡️ Double-Blind Peer Review

Review Model: Double-Blind Peer Review

Minimum Reviewers: Two independent qualified reviewers

Editorial Supervision: Editor-in-Chief and responsible academic editors

Review Platform: Open Journal Systems (OJS)

Review Charges: IDR 0,- (Free of Charge)

Final Decision: Authorized academic editor

🔄 02. Peer Review Workflow

The manuscript evaluation process follows a systematic editorial workflow that ensures every submission is assessed according to consistent scientific and ethical standards. The principal stages of manuscript processing are presented below.

📩 Stage 1. Manuscript Submission

Authors submit their manuscripts through the official JAFTCI online submission platform in accordance with the journal's author guidelines and manuscript template.

📋 Stage 2. Initial Editorial Screening

The editorial team evaluates the manuscript's scope alignment, completeness, originality, methodological adequacy, formatting, and ethical compliance before determining its eligibility for external peer review.

👥 Stage 3. Reviewer Selection

At least two independent reviewers are selected based on their scientific expertise, research experience, relevant publications, availability, and absence of conflicts of interest.

🔬 Stage 4. Scientific Peer Review

The reviewers conduct independent assessments of the research objectives, scientific contribution, methodology, empirical evidence, analysis, conclusions, and relevant scholarly literature.

✍️ Stage 5. Author Revision

Where revisions are requested, authors submit an appropriately revised manuscript accompanied by detailed responses addressing the editorial and reviewer comments.

⚖️ Stage 6. Editorial Decision

The responsible academic editor evaluates the reviewer recommendations, revised manuscript, and author responses before determining acceptance, further revision, additional review, or rejection.

🎨 Stage 7. Editorial Production

Accepted manuscripts proceed through copyediting, layout preparation, proofreading, metadata verification, and final publication readiness checks.

🌐 Stage 8. Online Publication

The finalized article is published through the official JAFTCI website in accordance with the journal's publication schedule, open-access policy, and applicable copyright license.

Workflow Principle: Each manuscript must complete the applicable editorial and scientific evaluation stages before publication. The editorial team may request additional review, further revisions, or clarification when necessary to establish the reliability and scholarly quality of the submitted research.

📋 03. Initial Editorial Screening and Pre-Review Assessment

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial examination before being forwarded to external reviewers. The purpose of this screening is to determine whether the manuscript meets the minimum scientific, administrative, and ethical requirements for further consideration.

Pre-Review Assessment Criteria

  1. Relevance of the manuscript to the journal's focus and scope.
  2. Originality, scientific relevance, and identifiable research contribution.
  3. Clarity of the research problem, objectives, and scholarly justification.
  4. Appropriateness of the research design and methodological approach.
  5. Compliance with the official JAFTCI manuscript template and author guidelines.
  6. Completeness and consistency of citations, references, tables, and figures.
  7. Compliance with applicable publication ethics and research integrity requirements.
  8. Similarity screening and evaluation of potential plagiarism or inappropriate source use.

Similarity checking may be used to identify potentially problematic textual overlap. However, similarity percentages must be interpreted in context and do not independently determine plagiarism, originality, or manuscript acceptance. Submissions that fail the initial screening may be returned for correction or rejected before external peer review.

👥 04. Reviewer Selection and Qualification

Peer reviewers are selected by the responsible academic editor according to their disciplinary competence, methodological expertise, publication record, professional independence, and ability to conduct an objective scientific assessment.

Reviewer Eligibility and Responsibilities

  • Possess appropriate academic qualifications and demonstrated expertise relevant to the manuscript's research area.
  • Demonstrate relevant scholarly experience, including scientific publications or recognized research competence.
  • Have sufficient methodological knowledge to evaluate the research design, analysis, and scientific conclusions.
  • Disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest before accepting a review assignment.
  • Maintain the confidentiality of manuscript contents and editorial correspondence.
  • Provide objective, constructive, evidence-based, and professionally appropriate review comments.
  • Complete assigned reviews within the agreed editorial timeline or promptly inform the editor when additional time is required.

Additional reviewers may be appointed when reviewer recommendations are substantially inconsistent, specialized expertise is required, or further independent assessment is necessary. Reviewer selection must not create preferential treatment based on personal, institutional, financial, or professional relationships.

🔬 05. Scientific Evaluation Criteria

Peer reviewers assess manuscripts using scientific criteria appropriate to the research discipline, manuscript category, methodology, and stated research objectives. Review reports should clearly explain the basis for each assessment and provide constructive recommendations for improvement.

💡 Originality and Contribution

The novelty, significance, research gap, and contribution of the manuscript to existing scientific knowledge or technological development.

📚 Theoretical and Literature Foundation

The relevance, accuracy, critical synthesis, and adequacy of scientific literature supporting the research problem and conceptual framework.

🧪 Research Methodology

The suitability of the research design, data collection procedures, sampling, experimental methods, analytical techniques, and validation strategies.

📊 Results and Data Reliability

The accuracy, completeness, transparency, reproducibility where applicable, and evidentiary adequacy of the reported research findings.

🧠 Analysis and Discussion

The analytical depth, interpretation of findings, critical engagement with previous studies, and consideration of alternative explanations.

🎯 Conclusions and Implications

The consistency of conclusions with empirical findings and the validity of scientific, technological, and practical implications.

📖 References and Academic Writing

The suitability and accuracy of references, APA 7 citation consistency, scholarly clarity, logical organization, and manuscript presentation.

⚖️ Research Ethics and Integrity

The ethical treatment of research materials, participants, and data, together with the transparency and integrity of scientific reporting.

⏱️ 06. Review Period and Manuscript Revision

The duration of manuscript evaluation depends on the complexity of the research, availability of qualified reviewers, completeness of review reports, required revisions, and the outcomes of subsequent editorial assessments.

The editorial office communicates review assignments and revision deadlines through the official OJS platform. A particular submission or issue schedule does not guarantee completion of peer review, acceptance, or publication within a fixed period.

✍️ Revision Requirements

  1. Authors must carefully evaluate all substantive comments provided by editors and peer reviewers.
  2. A revised manuscript must incorporate appropriate scientific, methodological, analytical, and editorial improvements.
  3. Authors must provide a point-by-point response explaining how each reviewer or editorial comment has been addressed.
  4. Where a recommendation is not adopted, the authors must provide a clear and academically justified explanation.
  5. Major revisions may be returned to the original reviewers or referred to additional qualified reviewers when necessary.
  6. Submission of a revised manuscript does not automatically guarantee acceptance for publication.

Review Timeline Notice: Actual review and revision periods may vary between manuscripts. Authors should refer to the deadlines communicated by the editorial office through OJS rather than assuming a guaranteed publication date.

⚖️ 07. Editorial Decisions and Recommendations

Editorial decisions are determined by the responsible academic editor in consideration of the reviewer reports, scientific quality of the manuscript, author responses, applicable research ethics, and fulfillment of the journal's publication requirements.

Editorial Decision Description
Accept Submission The manuscript meets the journal's scientific and editorial requirements and may proceed to production.
Minor Revisions Limited corrections or clarifications are required before final editorial consideration.
Major Revisions Substantial improvements to the scientific argument, methodology, analysis, discussion, or presentation are necessary.
Resubmit for Review The manuscript requires further evaluation following substantial revision or additional independent assessment.
Decline Submission The manuscript does not satisfy the required scientific, editorial, methodological, ethical, or scope-related standards.

Reviewers provide expert recommendations but do not independently determine the final acceptance of manuscripts. The academic editor is responsible for ensuring that editorial decisions are evidence-based, appropriately documented, and consistent with the journal's scientific and ethical standards.

🔐 08. Confidentiality, Conflicts of Interest, and Ethical Integrity

JAFTCI's peer-review procedures are designed to protect manuscript confidentiality, maintain independent scholarly judgment, and prevent personal, financial, professional, or institutional interests from influencing manuscript evaluation.

Ethical Responsibilities

  • Editors and reviewers must treat unpublished manuscripts and associated editorial information as confidential.
  • Reviewers must not disclose, reproduce, distribute, or exploit unpublished manuscript materials without appropriate authorization.
  • Reviewers must immediately disclose circumstances that may compromise their impartiality or professional independence.
  • Editors must avoid participating in editorial decisions concerning their own manuscripts or submissions involving relevant conflicts of interest.
  • Manuscripts involving a conflicted editor must be transferred to another qualified and independent academic editor.
  • Confidential manuscript materials must not be uploaded to external AI systems or other third-party services without the necessary authorization and safeguards.
  • Suspected plagiarism, fabricated or manipulated data, inappropriate authorship practices, or other research integrity concerns must be examined through fair and documented editorial procedures.

The editorial team should apply recognized principles of responsible scholarly publishing and relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when addressing allegations of misconduct, conflicts of interest, ethical concerns, or disputes arising during manuscript evaluation.

📂 09. Review Documentation and Editorial Accountability

The journal maintains editorial records through its official Open Journal Systems platform. Appropriate documentation supports the transparency, accountability, consistency, and traceability of manuscript evaluation.

Editorial Records

  • Manuscript submission information and author metadata.
  • Initial editorial screening outcomes.
  • Reviewer selection and invitation records.
  • Completed peer-review reports and recommendations.
  • Author revision files and point-by-point responses.
  • Editorial correspondence and decision records.
  • Final acceptance and publication production documentation.

Access to confidential editorial records is restricted according to the responsibilities and permissions of authorized editorial personnel. Such records must be managed consistently with the journal's applicable privacy, editorial, and publication ethics policies.

✅ 10. Post-Acceptance Processing and Publication

Following formal editorial acceptance, manuscripts proceed through the relevant production stages, including copyediting, language and terminology consistency checks, layout preparation, proofreading, and verification of article metadata.

The journal publishes articles according to its established publication frequency and editorial readiness. Completion of peer review or acceptance does not automatically guarantee publication within a particular issue.

🔓 Free-of-Charge Publication

All manuscript submission, editorial screening, peer-review, article processing, copyediting, proofreading, layout preparation, and online publication services are provided without charges to authors.

Total Author Fees: IDR 0,- (Free of Charge)

Published articles are made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0), in accordance with the journal's copyright and licensing policy.