Conflict of Interest (Competing Interests) Policy

Penelitian Gizi dan Makanan (The Journal of Nutrition and Food Research) is committed to ensuring that research, peer review, and editorial decisions are conducted transparently, fairly, and independently. The journal requires the disclosure and appropriate management of competing interests that may influence, or reasonably be perceived as influencing, research findings, manuscript evaluation, or editorial decisions.

This policy applies to authors and contributors, reviewers, editors, Editorial Board members, editorial staff, guest editors, the publisher, and other individuals involved in the journal's publication process.

All relevant competing interests must be disclosed promptly and updated whenever circumstances change.

1. Definition and Types of Competing Interests

A competing interest exists when a financial, personal, professional, institutional, academic, intellectual, or other interest could influence, or reasonably be perceived as influencing, an individual's judgment, conduct, or decisions in relation to research or publication.

Competing interests may be actual, potential, or perceived. The existence of a competing interest does not necessarily indicate misconduct or imply that an individual's work is unreliable. However, relevant interests must be disclosed so that the journal can assess and manage them appropriately.

Examples of competing interests include, but are not limited to:

  • Financial interests: employment, consultancy, honoraria, research funding, travel support, gifts, stock ownership, patents, royalties, and relevant commercial interests.

  • Personal interests: family relationships, close personal relationships, personal disputes, or other relationships that may affect impartiality.

  • Professional and institutional interests: supervisory relationships, employment at the same institution, recent or ongoing collaboration, institutional affiliations, professional disputes, and other relationships that may compromise independent assessment.

  • Academic and intellectual interests: direct academic competition, involvement in closely related research, strong intellectual commitments, or interests in particular research outcomes.

  • Organizational and advocacy interests: membership in relevant organizations, advocacy activities, or other commitments directly related to the subject of the research.

  • Research-related interests: access to proprietary data, involvement in the development of products evaluated in the study, or other interests that may benefit from or be adversely affected by the research findings.

These examples are not exhaustive. Individuals must disclose any interest that may reasonably be relevant to the work, allowing the journal to determine whether additional measures are required.

2. Responsibilities of Authors

All authors must disclose relevant competing interests when submitting a manuscript and update their declarations if circumstances change during the editorial process.

Each manuscript must include a section titled Declaration of Competing Interests.

If no relevant competing interests exist, authors should use the following statement:

"The authors declare that they have no competing interests relevant to this work."

If competing interests exist, the declaration must identify the author concerned and clearly describe the nature of the interest. Disclosures should be sufficiently specific to allow readers to understand the relationship between the interest and the research.

Authors must also disclose all relevant sources of financial and material support, including grants, institutional support, equipment, materials, and other contributions.

The funding statement must explain the role of funders or sponsors, where applicable, in:

  • Study design.

  • Data collection.

  • Data analysis and interpretation.

  • Manuscript preparation and revision.

  • Journal selection.

  • The decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

If the funder had no role in these activities, this must be stated explicitly.

The corresponding author is responsible for collecting and communicating the declarations of all co-authors. Each author remains responsible for the accuracy and completeness of their own declaration.

Authors who recommend reviewers must not knowingly suggest individuals whose relationships with the authors could compromise independent assessment. The journal retains full authority over reviewer selection.

Disclosure of a competing interest does not automatically result in manuscript rejection. The journal will assess the nature and significance of the interest and determine whether it can be appropriately managed.

3. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must disclose relevant competing interests before accepting a review assignment.

Potential conflicts include:

  • Recent or ongoing collaboration with an author.

  • Close personal, family, supervisory, or mentoring relationships.

  • Employment at the same institution where the relationship could compromise independent assessment.

  • Financial interests in the research, its findings, or related products.

  • Direct academic competition or professional disputes.

  • Substantial involvement in preparing the manuscript or conducting the research.

  • Other circumstances that could reasonably compromise impartial evaluation.

Reviewers who are uncertain whether a competing interest may affect their independence should inform the editor before proceeding with the review.

The editor will determine whether a disclosed interest can be managed or whether the reviewer must decline the assignment. If a competing interest becomes apparent after a reviewer has accepted the assignment or submitted a review, the reviewer must notify the editor promptly.

Reviewers must protect manuscript confidentiality and must not use unpublished information obtained through peer review for personal, professional, academic, or financial advantage.

4. Responsibilities of Editors, Editorial Board Members, and Editorial Staff

Editors, Editorial Board members, guest editors, and editorial staff must disclose relevant competing interests upon appointment and whenever circumstances change.

An editor must not handle a manuscript when the editor:

  • Is an author or co-author of the manuscript.

  • Has a relevant personal, professional, supervisory, or financial relationship with an author.

  • Has a direct interest in the research outcomes.

  • Is involved in a related dispute or has a competing academic interest that could compromise impartiality.

  • Has another interest that could reasonably affect editorial independence.

In such circumstances, the manuscript must be assigned to a qualified and independent editor. The conflicted editor must not participate in reviewer selection, editorial discussions, or decision-making concerning the manuscript.

Submissions by the Editor-in-Chief, editors, or Editorial Board members must undergo the journal's usual editorial and peer-review procedures under independent editorial management. The author-editor must not participate in or influence the review or editorial decision. Where relevant, the published article should disclose the author's editorial role and the independent handling of the manuscript.

If the Editor-in-Chief has a competing interest, the matter must be referred to an independent editor or an appropriately authorized publisher representative. If that person is also conflicted, another independent and authorized party must be appointed.

5. Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher must support editorial independence and ensure that business arrangements do not improperly influence editorial decisions.

Funding arrangements, sponsorships, advertising, partnerships, publication fees, and other sources of revenue must not determine whether a manuscript is accepted, rejected, or given preferential treatment.

Any attempt to compromise editorial independence must be referred to an appropriate independent authority within the publishing organization.

6. Assessment and Management of Competing Interests

The journal will assess disclosed competing interests according to their nature, relevance, timing, severity, and potential effect on research integrity or editorial independence.

Depending on the circumstances, the journal may:

  • Request further information or clarification.

  • Publish an appropriate disclosure statement.

  • Appoint an independent editor.

  • Replace a reviewer.

  • Obtain an additional independent review.

  • Restrict participation in editorial discussions or decisions.

  • Require revisions to disclosures or related manuscript statements.

  • Decline participation in the editorial process when a conflict cannot be adequately managed.

Disclosure does not automatically result in manuscript rejection or exclusion from the editorial process. The journal will determine the appropriate response based on the available information and the need to maintain a fair and independent assessment.

The journal will maintain appropriate records of declarations, assessments, decisions, and actions, subject to applicable confidentiality and data-protection requirements.

7. Undisclosed Competing Interests and Complaints

Concerns about undisclosed or improperly managed competing interests may be reported to the journal's Editorial Office.

Editorial Office: pgmpersagi@gmail.com

For concerns involving the Editor-in-Chief or Editorial Office: 

Sekretariat DPP PERSAGI.
Grand Centro Blok B2 Jl. Bintaro Permai,
Pesanggrahan Jakarta Selatan INDONESIA

Reports should identify the relevant manuscript or article, describe the concern, and provide supporting information where available.

The journal will assess concerns fairly, confidentially, and on the basis of available evidence. The person concerned will normally be given a reasonable opportunity to respond. Cases must be handled by individuals without relevant competing interests.

Before publication, the journal may:

  • Request a revised disclosure.

  • Replace a reviewer or editor.

  • Obtain an independent review.

  • Require manuscript revisions.

  • Suspend the editorial process while the concern is assessed.

  • Reject the manuscript where the nondisclosure or associated conduct seriously compromises the integrity of the research or editorial process.

After publication, the journal may:

  • Publish a correction to the competing interests or funding statement.

  • Issue an Expression of Concern.

  • Arrange an independent assessment.

  • Notify a relevant institution or other competent authority where appropriate.

  • Retract an article when the findings and their implications justify such action.

Retraction will not be based solely on the existence of an undisclosed competing interest. The decision must consider the effect of the nondisclosure on research integrity, editorial independence, or the reliability of the published record.

Complaints concerning the application of this policy will be handled under the journal's Complaints and Appeals Policy. A person must not investigate or decide a complaint concerning their own conduct or a matter in which they have a competing interest.

8. Related Policies and Review

This policy should be read together with the journal's policies on:

  • Publication Ethics.

  • Authorship and Contributorship.

  • Peer Review.

  • Allegations of Research and Publication Misconduct.

  • Complaints and Appeals.

  • Research Ethics and Ethical Oversight.

  • Artificial Intelligence, where applicable.

  • Corrections, Retractions, Withdrawals, Removals, and Replacements.

The journal will periodically review this policy to maintain consistency with relevant COPE guidance, good publication practices, applicable law, and institutional requirements.