Journal profile · FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Journal of Functional Foods
ISSN 1756-4646 · eISSN 2214-9414 · Elsevier Ltd · NETHERLANDS · Founded 2009
Journal of Functional Foods: CAS Zone 2 · Agricultural & Forestry Sciences (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.87; fully open access; APC about USD 2,920; review about 87 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy; 472 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Functional Foods is published by Elsevier Ltd and is in Zone 2 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities, Gut microbiota and health and Protein Hydrolysis and Bioactive Peptides, together about 27.7% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
JFF (Journal of Functional Foods) aims to bring together the results of fundamental and applied research into healthy foods and biologically active food ingredients. The Journal is centered in the specific area at the boundaries among food science, nutrition and health, welcoming papers having a good interdisciplinary approach. The Journal covers the following areas:Food bioactive compounds & nutraceutical ingredients such as plant bioactives, dietary fibre, probiotics, prebiotics, functional lipids, bioactive peptides, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, botanicals etc.Food digestion and its processes including studies of the microbiota and gut- organ axisHealthy food constituents' characterization using in-vivo animal or/and human studies, genomic, chemical, biochemical technologiesEfficacity and safety of bioactive compoundsEffects of processing (including packaging and storage) on food and food ingredients functionalityRegulatory aspects of functional foods and related issues e.g. labelling, substantiation of health claims, allergensPersonalized nutrition, sport nutritionRole of food ingredients, functional foods and diet in disease prevention and in the management of diseasesNutritional and technological aspects related to the development of functional foods and beverages are of core interest to the journal. Experimental works dealing with food digestion, bioavailability of food bioactives and on the mechanisms by which foods and their components are able to modulate physiological parameters connected with disease prevention are of particular interest as well as those dealing with personalized nutrition and food designed for the benefit of specific pathologies.The following papers are not within the scope of the Journal:Papers only dealing with food analysis and characterization of food structure and compositionPapers focusing on the absorption kinetic of single bioactivesPapers dealing with pure compounds having no connection with foodSince January 2020, JFF is an open access journal. Authors who publish in the Journal will be able to make their work immediately, permanently, and freely accessible. JFF continues with the same aims and scope, editorial team, submission system and rigorous peer review. We give authors the possibility to publish their top-quality papers in a well-established leading journal in the food and nutrition fields. The Journal kept its rigorous criteria to screen high impact research addressing relevant scientific topics and performed by sound methodologies.Elsevier works with institutions and funding bodies to help authors publishing in our journals comply with open access policies. Find out here if your institute is part of an Elsevier agreement.Please note: JFF has a strict policy about the selection of Editorial Board Members, Associate Editors, and about Special Issues of the journal.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Editor-in-chief Rotimi AlukoPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 18 in mainland China (about 26%); most named Mainland China 18, United States 9, Italy 6, Spain 4, Canada 4 (69 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Phytochemicals and Antioxidant ActivitiesMedicine11%
- Gut microbiota and healthBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology9.4%
- Protein Hydrolysis and Bioactive PeptidesBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology7.3%
- Probiotics and Fermented FoodsAgricultural and Biological Sciences7.2%
- Microbial Metabolites in Food BiotechnologyNursing4.3%
- Natural Antidiabetic Agents StudiesMedicine4.1%
- Diet and metabolism studiesMedicine3.9%
- Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative StressMedicine3.9%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Food Science & Technology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Nutrition & Dietetics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Food Science & Technology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Nutrition & Dietetics | Zone 3 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Food Science & Technology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Nutrition & Dietetics | Zone 3 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusDOAJLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 3.87LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3.9Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7.2LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 7.2Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.8LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.85LetPub ·
- h-index
- 63LetPub ·
- h-index
- 170OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 4,839OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 4.4OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 2.6%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 99.94%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 455LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 7,378 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 385 | 385 | 188 |
| 2025 | 472 | 472 | 1,701 |
| 2024 | 669 | 669 | 4,828 |
| 2023 | 569 | 569 | 7,136 |
| 2022 | 459 | 459 | 8,571 |
| 2021 | 493 | 493 | 11,859 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
87 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports about 2.3 months
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 2.3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly easyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 11 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 42 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 87 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 7 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to publication (journal-reported)
- about 13 weeksDOAJ ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewDOAJ
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Fully open accessDOAJ
Every article is open access; authors usually pay an article processing charge (APC).
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOAJ | USD 2,920 | Yes | CC BY, CC BY-NC, CC BY-NC-ND | |
| OpenAlex | USD 2,800 / EUR 2,620 / GBP 2,240 / JPY 347,280 | — | — | |
| LetPub | USD 2,160 | Yes | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 2,770 | — | — |
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers2, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare8 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 150 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 1
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 7,500 words
- Reference style
- APA
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Required
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted16, with length limits
- commentaryOriginal research articles, review papers, perspective commentaries and opinion pieces, rapid communications and graphical reviews.1. Research papers - original…Length not stated
- graphical reviews5. Graphical Reviews (GRs) are a short, structured article type, which primarily use illustrative schematic summaries to convey only key concepts and novel idea…Length not stated
- hypothesisOriginal research articles, review papers, perspective commentaries and opinion pieces, rapid communications and graphical reviews.1. Research papers - original…Length not stated
- meta-analysisOriginal research articles, review papers, perspective commentaries and opinion pieces, rapid communications and graphical reviews.1. Research papers - original…Length not stated
- opinionOriginal research articles, review papers, perspective commentaries and opinion pieces, rapid communications and graphical reviews.1. Research papers - original…Length not stated
- original research articleOriginal research articles, review papers, perspective commentaries and opinion pieces, rapid communications and graphical reviews.1. Research papers - original…Length not stated
- perspectiveOriginal research articles, review papers, perspective commentaries and opinion pieces, rapid communications and graphical reviews.1. Research papers - original…Length not stated
- perspective commentaries and opinion pieces3. Perspective commentaries and opinion pieces - These should be concise, on hot topics and describe cutting-edge developments and technologies. They should not…Length not stated
- rapid communicationOriginal research articles, review papers, perspective commentaries and opinion pieces, rapid communications and graphical reviews.1. Research papers - original…main text ≤ 3,000 words
- rapid communications4. Rapid communications - Short communications of up to 3000 words, describing work that may be of a preliminary nature but which merits immediate publication.Length not stated
- research paperOriginal research articles, review papers, perspective commentaries and opinion pieces, rapid communications and graphical reviews.1. Research papers - original…Length not stated
- research papers1. Research papers - original full-length research papers which have not been published previously, except in a preliminary form, and which should not exceed 7,…Length not stated
- reviewOriginal research articles, review papers, perspective commentaries and opinion pieces, rapid communications and graphical reviews.1. Research papers - original…Length not stated
- review articleOriginal research articles, review papers, perspective commentaries and opinion pieces, rapid communications and graphical reviews.1. Research papers - original…Length not stated
- review articles2. Review articles - will be accepted in areas of topical interest, will normally focus on literature published over the previous five years, and should not exc…Length not stated
- short communicationOriginal research articles, review papers, perspective commentaries and opinion pieces, rapid communications and graphical reviews.1. Research papers - original…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
1 to 6 keywords required Model summary
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Founded
- 2009
- ISSN
- 1756-4646
- Electronic ISSN
- 2214-9414
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗DOAJ
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗DOAJ
- Aims & Scope ↗DOAJ
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
- APC information ↗DOAJ
- Fee waivers ↗DOAJ
- Open access statement ↗DOAJ
- License & copyright ↗DOAJ
- Peer review process ↗DOAJ
- Editorial board ↗DOAJ
- Plagiarism policy ↗DOAJ
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Functional Foods
What CAS zone is Journal of Functional Foods in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Functional Foods is in Zone 2 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Food Science & Technology / Nutrition & Dietetics. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Functional Foods?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.87; CiteScore 7.2, h-index 170.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Functional Foods?
The publisher reports about 87 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of about 2.3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Journal of Functional Foods?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 150 words; Keywords: ≥ 1; Manuscript length: ≤ 7,500 words; Reference style: APA; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Required; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Journal of Functional Foods based?
Of the 69 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 18 (about 26%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (18), United States (9) and Italy (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Functional Foods?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Functional Foods is indexed in SCIE, Scopus and DOAJ.
Is Journal of Functional Foods open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Functional Foods is a fully open-access journal. APC about USD 2,920.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex, DOAJ; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .