Penelitian Gizi dan Makanan (The Journal of Nutrition and Food Research)

Penelitian Gizi dan Makanan (The Journal of Nutrition and Food Research) recognizes the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI, and AI-assisted technologies in research and scholarly publishing. When used responsibly, these technologies may support research design, data analysis, manuscript preparation, peer review, and editorial work. Their use must not compromise scientific integrity, originality, confidentiality, transparency, or human accountability.

This policy applies to authors, reviewers, editors, Editorial Board members, and other individuals involved in the journal's publication process. It is informed by relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and recognized good practices in scholarly publishing.

1. Scope and Definitions

For the purposes of this policy, AI tools include generative AI and AI-assisted technologies capable of generating or materially modifying text, code, images, audio, data, analyses, or other content. Examples include large language models, AI agents, generative image systems, AI-assisted research tools, and AI-enabled analytical or visualization software.

Routine tools used exclusively for basic spelling, grammar, punctuation, formatting, or conventional reference management do not constitute substantive AI use under this policy, provided that they do not generate or materially alter scholarly content.

2. General Principles

The use of AI tools must comply with the following principles:

1. Human authors, reviewers, and editors remain fully responsible and accountable for their respective contributions and decisions.

2. AI tools must not replace human critical thinking, scientific judgment, intellectual contribution, or independent editorial assessment.

3. Substantive AI use must be disclosed transparently in accordance with this policy.

4. AI-generated outputs must be critically reviewed and verified for accuracy, completeness, bias, originality, and appropriate attribution.

5. Confidentiality, data privacy, informed consent, intellectual property rights, and publication rights must be protected.

6. AI tools must not be used to fabricate, falsify, manipulate, or conceal research data, results, images, citations, or other scholarly content.

7. The use of AI does not transfer or diminish the ethical responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, or the publisher.

3. Use of AI by Authors

3.1. AI-Assisted Manuscript Preparation

Authors may use AI tools in a supportive capacity during manuscript preparation. Appropriate uses may include organizing manuscript structure, improving language and readability, assisting with translation, exploring research questions, identifying potential research gaps, and checking manuscript completeness against relevant reporting guidelines.

AI tools must not substitute for the authors' own scientific analysis, interpretation, reasoning, or conclusions. Authors must not submit AI-generated scholarly content without meaningful intellectual contribution, critical evaluation, and appropriate human revision.

Authors are responsible for independently verifying all factual claims, calculations, citations, and references suggested or generated by AI. Fabricated, nonexistent, inaccurate, or irrelevant references may constitute grounds for rejection or further investigation.

Before entering unpublished manuscripts, research data, personal information, or other protected materials into an AI tool, authors must review the tool's terms of use and privacy practices. Authors must ensure that its use does not compromise confidentiality, intellectual property, data privacy, informed consent, or future publication rights.

3.2. Disclosure of AI Use in Manuscript Preparation

Substantive use of AI tools in manuscript preparation must be disclosed in a separate section immediately before the References, titled:

Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Manuscript Preparation Process

The declaration must identify, where applicable:

• The name of the AI tool or service and its provider.

• The version of the tool, where available.

• The purpose and extent of its use.

• The extent of human review, verification, and revision.

• Confirmation that the authors retain full responsibility for the final manuscript.

Authors may use the following format:

"While preparing this manuscript, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE, VERSION, AND PROVIDER] for [PURPOSE]. The author(s) critically reviewed, verified, and revised the resulting output and take full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and content of the submitted manuscript."

Basic spelling, grammar, punctuation, and conventional reference-management functions do not require disclosure when they do not generate or materially alter scholarly content. AI-assisted translation and substantive changes to sentence structure, organization, argumentation, references, or scholarly content must be disclosed.

When no substantive AI tool has been used in manuscript preparation, an AI declaration is not required.

3.3. AI and Authorship

AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors because they cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of a scholarly work, approve the final manuscript, disclose competing interests, or respond to questions arising after publication.

AI tools must not be credited as human authors. Human authors remain collectively responsible for the originality, validity, ethical compliance, and integrity of the entire work, including content developed with AI assistance.

4. AI in Research Design and Methods

The journal does not prohibit the use of AI, machine learning, generative AI, or AI-assisted technologies as legitimate components of research design or research methods.

When AI is used in study design, code development, data collection, data processing, modeling, analysis, interpretation, or other research activities, its use must be described in the Methods section in sufficient detail to support transparency and reproducibility.

The description should include, where relevant:

• The name of the model, software, or tool.

• The version and developer or provider.

• The purpose and manner of use.

• Relevant data inputs and outputs.

• Training data or data sources, where relevant and available.

• Prompts, parameters, analytical procedures, or other information necessary to understand or reproduce the process.

• Validation and quality-control procedures.

• The extent of human oversight.

AI-assisted code remains subject to the same standards of validity, documentation, reproducibility, and availability as code developed without AI assistance.

Authors must ensure that AI-assisted methods are scientifically appropriate for the research question and that the resulting findings are independently evaluated and supported by evidence.

5. Figures, Images, and Artwork

The use of AI in figures and images depends on their purpose, scientific function, and evidentiary status.

5.1. Explanatory Images

AI tools may be used to assist in creating explanatory images that illustrate concepts, processes, or relationships, including conceptual diagrams, flowcharts, decision trees, timelines, schematic illustrations, and experimental workflow diagrams.

Authors must verify the scientific accuracy, originality, completeness, and relevance of each image.

AI use must be disclosed in the general AI declaration and in the caption of each relevant image. The caption should identify the tool, version where available, and nature of its contribution.

An appropriate caption may state:

"Initial schematic generated using [NAME AND VERSION OF TOOL] and subsequently reviewed, revised, and verified by the authors."

5.2. Data Visualizations

AI tools may assist in creating plots, charts, graphs, heatmaps, and other data visualizations only when the resulting visualization faithfully represents the underlying research data.

The analytical and computational workflow must be reproducible and adequately described in the Methods section. Authors must identify the relevant tool, version, provider, purpose, and validation procedures where applicable.

AI must not be used to invent underlying data, fabricate results, or produce visualizations unsupported by the reported data and methods.

The editorial team may request underlying data, code, documentation, or original visualization files when necessary to assess the validity of the results.

5.3. Primary Research Images

AI tools must not be used to create or alter images presented as primary observed or experimental evidence. Such images include microscopy, histology, gels, radiology scans, patient images, laboratory instrument outputs, food microscopy, and comparable research evidence.

AI tools must not be used to enhance, obscure, move, remove, replace, or introduce specific features in a primary research image in ways that could misrepresent the original evidence.

Basic adjustments to brightness, contrast, or color balance may be made using established image-processing software, provided that they do not obscure, eliminate, or misrepresent information and are applied consistently where appropriate.

This restriction does not prohibit AI-assisted imaging that forms a legitimate part of the research design or methods, such as image reconstruction, classification, segmentation, detection, or interpretation. Such use must be scientifically justified, reproducible, and fully described in the Methods section. Authors may be required to provide original, unprocessed images for editorial assessment.

5.4. Graphical Abstracts

General-purpose generative AI image tools must not be used to create graphical abstracts for submission to the journal.

Dedicated scientific illustration or professional design tools may be used where their licensing terms permit scholarly publication. Authors remain responsible for scientific accuracy, originality, attribution, and compliance with intellectual property rights.

Any substantive AI-enabled feature used in an otherwise permitted graphical abstract must be disclosed in its caption.

5.5. Cover Art

AI-generated cover art may be considered only with prior written approval from the Editor-in-Chief and the publisher.

Authors or contributors must demonstrate that the necessary rights and permissions have been obtained and provide appropriate attribution.

AI-generated images must not reproduce or imitate protected artwork, identifiable persons, voices, products, trademarks, or copyrighted material without lawful authorization.

6. Use of AI by Peer Reviewers

Submitted manuscripts and related editorial communications are confidential. Reviewers must not upload manuscripts, manuscript excerpts, figures, tables, supplementary files, review questionnaires, editorial correspondence, or other confidential information derived from a submission into external AI tools.

AI tools must not replace a reviewer's independent scientific assessment, critical reasoning, or recommendations. Reviewers remain fully responsible for the accuracy, fairness, originality, and content of their review reports.

AI tools may be used in a limited supportive capacity, such as conducting general background literature searches or improving the language and structure of reviewer-authored text, provided that:

• No confidential manuscript information is entered.

• The tool's privacy terms and service conditions have been reviewed.

• Appropriate safeguards prevent unauthorized retention, reuse, sharing, or training on submitted content.

• The reviewer independently verifies the output and retains responsibility for the final review.

Reviewers must not assume that a tool is confidential merely because it is described as secure, paid, or enterprise-based.

Substantive AI use in preparing a review report must be disclosed to the editor. Reviewers may use the following statement:

"In preparing this review report, I used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] for [PURPOSE]. I independently reviewed and revised the output and take full responsibility for my critical assessment and comments."

Basic spelling, grammar, and punctuation checks do not require disclosure.

7. Use of AI by Editors

Editors must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and all related communications. They must not upload manuscripts, manuscript excerpts, figures, supplementary files, review reports, author correspondence, or other confidential submission materials into unauthorized external AI tools.

AI tools must not replace an editor's independent evaluation, reviewer selection, interpretation of reviewer comments, editorial judgment, or final decision. Editors remain fully responsible for the editorial process, decisions, and communications with authors.

Editors may use AI tools in a limited supportive capacity for general background searches or to improve the language and structure of editorial templates and decision letters, provided that confidential manuscript information is not entered and appropriate privacy safeguards are in place.

The use of a publisher-operated or journal-approved system specifically designed for editorial or research-integrity purposes may be permitted when adequate contractual, confidentiality, data-protection, and human-oversight safeguards have been established.

8. AI in Publication and Research-Integrity Screening

The journal may use automated or AI-assisted systems to support administrative, technical, editorial, and research-integrity functions, including similarity screening, submission checks, reviewer matching, and the identification of potential publication-ethics concerns.

Such systems serve as decision-support tools. Editorial decisions and determinations of misconduct remain subject to meaningful human assessment and oversight.

An automated AI-detection result, by itself, does not constitute conclusive evidence of misconduct. Any concern identified through automated screening must be assessed in context. Where appropriate, authors will be given an opportunity to provide an explanation or relevant supporting evidence.

9. Ethical and Responsible Use

Research involving AI must comply with applicable ethical, legal, and professional standards. Authors must consider, where relevant:

• Privacy and protection of personal data.

• Informed consent.

• Bias, discrimination, and fairness.

• Security and potential misuse.

• Intellectual property and licensing.

• Transparency and explainability.

• Environmental and societal impacts.

• Accountability for decisions or outputs produced with AI assistance.

Authors must ensure that the use of AI does not violate research participants' rights, confidentiality agreements, data-use permissions, or applicable research ethics requirements.

The use of AI does not reduce or transfer the ethical responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, or the publisher.

10. Compliance and Enforcement

Manuscripts involving AI will be assessed according to the same standards of scientific validity, originality, methodological rigor, transparency, and publication ethics as other submissions.

Failure to disclose substantive AI use, unauthorized disclosure of confidential materials through AI systems, submission of fabricated AI-generated content, manipulation of research evidence, or other violations of this policy may result in:

• A request for clarification or supporting documentation.

• A request for manuscript revision or correction.

• Rejection of the submission.

• Withdrawal of a reviewer or editorial assignment.

• Publication of a correction, retraction, or another appropriate post-publication notice.

• Further action under the journal's publication ethics and research-misconduct procedures.

The appropriate response will depend on the nature, seriousness, timing, and consequences of the violation. Decisions will be made by the responsible editor or another authorized individual without a relevant competing interest.

11. Policy Review and Updates

AI technologies and scholarly publishing practices continue to evolve. The journal will periodically review this policy to maintain consistency with developments in research integrity, publication ethics, legal requirements, and responsible AI practices.

This policy should be read together with the journal's Author Guidelines, Peer Review Process, Publication Ethics Policy, Plagiarism Screening Policy, and Conflict of Interest Policy.