Publisher's and Editorial Note on the Integrity of FSE's Published Content and the Collective Retraction Notices in V6I2

Abstract

To our readers, authors, and the scholarly community,

This statement reaffirms Food Science and Engineering (FSE)'s ongoing commitment to the highest standards of academic quality, thematic relevance, and ethical publishing.

In a recent initiative to uphold scientific rigor, our editorial board conducted a comprehensive, post-publication audit of our content. This audit confirmed that the vast majority of our publications align with our Aim & Scope. However, nine articles were identified that fell outside our benchmarks for thematic relevance.

Following a collective evaluation by the Editorial Office and the Editor-in-Chief, and in accordance with COPE guidelines, the decision was made to retract these articles. We stress that this action relates solely to scope misalignment and does not reflect any concerns regarding research integrity.

To ensure transparency and centralized access, the Retraction Notices for these articles have been published collectively in Issue V6I2. Each notice provides specific details, and the original articles have been clearly marked as "RETRACTED" on our platform.

To prevent future occurrences, we have strengthened our editorial processes. Robust checks at submission and assessment stages now ensure that all content is rigorously vetted for relevance and quality prior to publication. The circumstances leading to this collective retraction are not representative of our current operations, and we have full confidence that they will not recur.

We apologize for any concern this may cause and remain committed to maintaining the trust and integrity of Food Science and Engineering.