Journal Guide
Food Chemistry Impact Factor 9.8: Publishing Guide
Molecules in food: understanding chemistry for safety, quality, and nutrition
9.8
Impact Factor (2024)
~35-40%
Acceptance Rate
~80-120 days median
Time to First Decision
What Food Chem. Publishes
Food Chemistry published by Elsevier is the premier journal for food science research combining chemistry, analytical methods, and nutritional analysis. With JIF 9.8 and Q1 ranking in Food Science & Technology, Food Chemistry emphasizes research on food composition, chemical reactions, analysis methods, and health impacts. The journal publishes original research on food compounds, processing effects, stability, safety, and nutrition. Critically: Food Chemistry values research with practical relevance to food quality or safety. Pure analytical chemistry without food application is less competitive. The journal seeks papers demonstrating how chemical understanding advances food quality, nutrition, or safety.
- Food composition: proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, bioactive compounds
- Analytical methods: chromatography, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry for food analysis
- Bioactive compounds: polyphenols, vitamins, minerals, functional components
- Food quality: color, flavor, texture, sensory properties
- Food safety: contaminants, pathogens, toxins, pesticide residues
- Nutritional aspects: bioavailability, health effects, functional foods
- Food processing: effects of cooking, storage, fermentation on chemical composition
- Food preservation: oxidation, microbial stability, shelf life
Editor Insight
“Food Chemistry publishes research advancing food science through chemical understanding. The best papers combine rigorous analytical chemistry with clear food relevance. We seek work solving real food problems: improving quality, ensuring safety, or advancing nutrition. Pure analytical chemistry without food application is less competitive.”
What Food Chem. Editors Look For
Food-relevant chemical analysis with clear practical application
Food Chemistry values research solving real food problems. If you develop analytical method, show how it improves food quality assessment or safety testing. If you study food compounds, demonstrate relevance to nutrition, safety, or processing. Connect chemistry to food industry needs.
Rigorous analytical methodology with validation
Analytical methods papers must include comprehensive validation: accuracy, precision, selectivity, and limit of detection. Use appropriate standards and reference materials. Compare with existing methods. Poorly validated methods are rapidly rejected.
Bioavailability or biological activity assessment
For papers on food bioactive compounds, assess bioavailability and/or biological activity. Test in cellular or animal models when appropriate. Showing chemical composition alone is less impactful than demonstrating that compounds are bioavailable and biologically active.
Processing or storage stability data
Show how food processing or storage affects chemical composition. Quantify compound degradation, formation of reaction products, or sensory changes. Data revealing how food chemistry changes during real-world processing strengthens papers.
Practical food industry relevance and scaling feasibility
Consider industrial feasibility. Analytical methods or food formulations need to be practical at production scale. Address cost, equipment requirements, and practical applicability. Lab-scale innovations requiring exotic conditions have limited impact.
Why Papers Get Rejected
These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past Food Chem.'s editorial review:
Analyzing food composition without food-relevant findings or application
Characterizing chemical composition of a food is basic work. Food Chemistry values papers showing how composition affects quality, nutrition, or safety. Show what the chemical analysis reveals about food that's new or practically important.
Developing analytical method without proper validation or comparison
New analytical methods require comprehensive validation: accuracy vs. reference method, precision, selectivity, interference testing, limit of detection. Methods without rigorous validation are weak. Compare performance with existing methods.
Studying bioactive compounds without bioavailability or activity assessment
Identifying that food contains healthy-sounding compounds is insufficient. Assess bioavailability (can body absorb them?) and biological activity (do they actually have health effects?). Chemistry + bioactivity is much stronger than chemistry alone.
Ignoring real-world processing or storage conditions
Testing compound stability at unrealistic conditions (extreme pH, temperature) without assessing stability during actual food processing or storage is weak. Use food-relevant conditions: realistic cooking temperatures, storage conditions.
Overlooking food safety or regulatory compliance issues
Papers ignoring relevant food safety regulations, pesticide limits, or contaminant standards feel disconnected from food industry reality. Reference applicable regulations and show how findings affect compliance.
Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?
The quick diagnostic reads your full manuscript against Food Chem.'s criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.
Insider Tips from Food Chem. Authors
Functional food and nutraceutical research is highly competitive
Papers demonstrating foods with health benefits - improved bioavailability of vitamins, bioactive compounds with disease-prevention potential, or processing methods preserving nutrition - receive strong reception. Frame research in health context.
Novel processing or preservation methods receive strong reception
Research on alternative processing (high-pressure processing, pulsed electric field, novel fermentation) or preservation approaches with chemical analysis of effects on food quality is impactful. Innovation in food processing is highly valued.
Connecting to food waste reduction or sustainability gains traction
Papers showing how food chemistry insights enable reducing food waste, using food byproducts, or developing sustainable food alternatives are increasingly competitive. Sustainability angle strengthens impact.
Analyzing authentic traditional or fermented foods is popular
Studies of traditional foods, fermented foods, or regional cuisines revealing chemical basis of quality or health properties often have high impact. Food heritage combined with rigorous chemistry is valued.
Multi-analytical approach strengthens characterization papers
Using complementary techniques (chromatography + mass spectrometry + spectroscopy) to thoroughly characterize food compounds demonstrates thoroughness. Multiple analytical methods give more complete picture than single technique.
The Food Chem. Submission Process
Manuscript preparation
Prep6,000-9,000 words with 5-7 figures. Include analytical methods with validation, food samples analyzed, quantitative results with error bars, and practical implications. Supporting information: detailed methods, additional chromatograms/spectra, validation data.
Submission via Elsevier system
Day 0Submit at https://www.editorialmanager.com/foodchem/. Required: manuscript, figures emphasizing food relevance and practical application, cover letter highlighting analytical novelty and food industry value.
Editorial assessment
1-2 weeksEditor assesses analytical rigor, food relevance, and practical significance. Papers with pure analytical chemistry and no food application face lower priority. Moderate desk rejection ~30-40%.
Peer review
80-120 days2-3 food chemistry experts assess analytical methodology, food relevance, and practical applicability. Reviewers check validation data carefully. First decision 80-120 days.
Revision and publication
Revision: 4-8 weeksRevisions may request additional validation, food processing context, or practical feasibility discussion. Publication 2-4 weeks after acceptance.
Food Chem. by the Numbers
| 2024 Impact Factor | 8.1 |
| 5-Year Impact Factor | 8.5 |
| Acceptance rate | ~35-40% |
| Desk rejection rate | ~30-40% |
| Median first decision | ~100 days |
| Open access option | $3,100 USD |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Founded | 1976 |
Before you submit
Food Chem. accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.
The pre-submission diagnostic runs a live literature search, scores your manuscript section by section, and gives you a prioritized fix list calibrated to Food Chem.. ~30 minutes.
Article Types
Research Article
6,000-9,000 wordsFood chemical analysis with practical food application
Short Communication
3,000-4,500 wordsFocused food chemistry finding with rapid publication
Review
9,000-12,000 wordsComprehensive food chemistry topic review
Landmark Food Chem. Papers
Papers that defined fields and changed science:
- Food antioxidants and oxidative stress (1980s-1990s) - linked dietary compounds to disease prevention
- Maillard reaction in food browning (1912, revisited throughout) - explained flavor and color development
- Polyphenol bioavailability in foods (2000s-present) - showed absorption and metabolic fate of plant compounds
- Acrylamide in cooked foods (2002 discovery) - revealed new food safety concern
- Fermented foods and microbiome (2010s-present) - linked traditional foods to gut health
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Primary Fields
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