Publication Ethics

Publication Ethics Policy

Food Agricultural Sciences and Technology (FAST) is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics. All stakeholders in the publishing process, including editors, authors, reviewers, and the publisher, are expected to uphold rigorous ethical principles. The journal adheres to the Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The manuscript evaluation process is guided by  the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The following ethical considerations guide our manuscript review process:

1. Manuscript Integrity: Authors must ensure their manuscript reflects honest academic work, free from any manipulation or misrepresentation of results. The work must be original, not plagiarized, and not submitted elsewhere for publication at the same time. Authors must also respect intellectual property and copyright laws.

2. Plagiarism and Malpractice: Plagiarism—whether copying text, ideas, images, or data (even from an author’s own work) without proper credit—is strictly prohibited. Any reused content must be cited appropriately. Manuscripts will undergo plagiarism screening before peer review. The similarity index must not exceed 30%. Data must be original and accurately represented, with no fabrication or manipulation. Any fraudulent activity discovered during peer review will lead to immediate rejection; if found post-publication, the manuscript will be retracted.

3. Transparent and Fair Review: The review process must be conducted with fairness and transparency. Reviewers should be experts in the relevant field, affiliated with different institutions than the author, and free from conflicts of interest with the manuscript.

4. Addressing Unethical Conduct: Any allegations of unethical behavior will be handled fairly and transparently by the journal.

Ethical Guidelines for Authors

1. Originality: Manuscripts must be entirely original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere. Plagiarism, data fabrication, and falsification are strictly prohibited.

2. Data Integrity: Authors must present their data truthfully, without any manipulation or distortion.

3. Proper Citations and Acknowledgments: All sources, references, and contributions must be properly cited.

4. Affiliation Disclosure: Authors must fully disclose all affiliations, organizations, and funding sources linked to their manuscript to prevent conflicts of interest.

5. Authorship Responsibility: All listed authors must have significantly contributed to the work, and each must give consent for submission.

6. Informed Consent: For studies involving human participants, authors must obtain informed consent and ensure compliance with ethical research guidelines.

7. Peer Review Participation: Authors must cooperate with the peer review process to ensure transparency and fairness.

8. Ethical Compliance: Authors are responsible for upholding ethical standards in their research, ensuring honesty, integrity, and reliability throughout their work.

Ethical Guidelines for Editors

1. Fair and Impartial Review: Editors must ensure that manuscripts are reviewed objectively, without bias.

2. Manuscript Evaluation: Manuscripts will be assessed based on originality, significance, clarity, and relevance. Previously published works will not be considered.

3. Plagiarism Screening: Manuscripts will be checked using plagiarism detection software. If plagiarism is found, authors will be contacted for clarification before a final decision is made.

4. Data Confidentiality: Editors must maintain confidentiality regarding manuscript details, ensuring no unauthorized disclosure of information.

5. Ethical Issue Management: Editors must address ethical concerns, conflicts of interest, and post-publication complaints fairly and transparently.

Ethical Guidelines for Reviewers

1. Confidentiality: Reviewers must keep all manuscript details confidential and not discuss them with others, except the Editor-in-Chief.

2. Conflict of Interest: If a reviewer has any personal or professional conflicts with the manuscript, they must inform the editorial board and decline the review.

3. Objectivity: Reviews should be fair and based on evidence, without personal biases or unsupported judgments.

4. Identifying Relevant Research: Reviewers should point out any overlooked but significant research that should be cited, as well as any similarities to existing work.

5. Ethical Considerations and Investigations: If ethical misconduct is suspected, the journal will conduct a thorough and fair investigation following COPE or equivalent guidelines.

Investigation Process

The journal follows a structured and impartial process when investigating allegations of ethical misconduct. An independent committee is assigned to review each case to ensure fairness and objectivity. Plagiarism detection tools and content analysis are used to thoroughly evaluate the allegations. Authors who are the subject of a complaint will be given the opportunity to respond. Confidentiality is maintained throughout the entire process to protect the integrity and privacy of all parties involved. If misconduct is confirmed, appropriate actions such as the retraction of the manuscript will be taken. If the investigation finds no misconduct, the journal will inform all relevant parties of the outcome. The journal also monitors for unethical behavior at every stage of the publication process, from submission to final publication, and the editorial board will take appropriate action if concerns arise.

Reporting Ethical Concerns

To uphold publication ethics, Food Agricultural Sciences and Technology (FAST) encourages authors, researchers, and readers to report ethical concerns. If you suspect misconduct, please submit a report through the "Ethical Concern Report" section on the journal's website. The report form allows for detailed descriptions of concerns, and all reports will be handled confidentially and professionally. For further information, contact details for ethical concerns can be found on the Food Agricultural Sciences and Technology (FAST) website. The journal values reader and author feedback to maintain ethical research and publishing standards. Ethical Concern Report