Announcements

MDPI will attend the 21st Annual Meeting of CIFST, which will take place from 2 to 4 November 2024 at the Chongqing Yuelai International Convention Center, Chongqing, China.

The 21st Annual Conference of the China Society of Food Science and Technology, sponsored by the China Society of Food Science and Technology, has been jointly organized by Southwest University, the Sichuan Institute of Food Science and Technology and other units.

With the support and active participation of food workers at home and abroad, this conference has been growing in scale and influence, having become one of the largest and most influential annual scientific exchange platforms in the food industry in China.

Fully leveraging its leading role in innovation, the conference will promote industrial developments through scientific and technological innovation and support the creation of new quality productive forces. It will address people's growing needs for a better life and focus on the high-quality development of the industry, with interdisciplinary and comprehensive approaches. Integrating meetings, exhibitions, poster displays, student activities and other activities, this conference provides a platform for food science and technology circles, industries and government departments to exchange ideas, discuss the latest food science and cutting-edge technologies at home and abroad, promote the training of food science and technology talents, and encourage the development of the food industry and science and technology.

We welcome you to visit the MDPI booth, where you can have face-to-face exchanges with our representatives, learn more about our open access publishing services, and acquire gifts.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Foods;
• Nutrients;
• Antioxidants;
• Toxins;
• Applied Sciences.

If you plan to attend this conference, we invite you to visit our booth and converse with our delegates at the conference venue (Chongqing Yuelai International Convention Center, booth number #B18). We are excited to meet you in person and we will address any questions that you may have. For further details about the conference, please visit the following website: http://am.cifst.org.cn/index.html.

As a leader in open access publishing, MDPI is eager to explore new collaboration opportunities, including the launch of new journals and the transfer of existing ones. At present, MDPI publishes over 400 journals, more than 160 of which have established partnerships with academic organizations. Additionally, we publish 19 association journals.

In order to enhance exchange and cooperation with scientific researchers and share the results of open science, MDPI invites experts and scholars from various fields to submit proposals for new journal collaboration opportunities. If your proposal is approved, you could take on the role of Editor-in-Chief, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, or Editorial Board Member of the journal. This position allows you to manage the manuscript review process alongside our editorial department, participate in calls for papers, strengthen your network with scholars in the field, expand scientific research cooperation, enhance your personal and academic influence internationally, and play a leading role in academia.

Once the new journal is online, MDPI will provide a variety of promotional channels to market the journal internationally.

MDPI will offer various promotional channels to enhance its visibility and promote it internationally.

How can you determine the theme of a new journal?

• Assess research hotspots/academic frontiers;
• Assess pioneers in the field/key research directions of universities;
• Determine whether MDPI has already established a journal in the field.

You can browse MDPI’s existing journals at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/about/journals.

Advantages of collaborating with MDPI:

• MDPI is a global leader in open-access publishing with extensive academic resources.
• MDPI offers a professional publishing team that provides comprehensive support throughout the publishing process.
• MDPI’s diverse promotional platforms and channels help journals quickly increase their international visibility and influence.

We invite you to submit new journal proposal here, and contribute to academic development! In addition, if your institution (university, institute, college, national key laboratory, society, etc.) intends to establish a journal, you can also submit a draft to MDPI on its behalf.

MDPI journals will be attending the Fifth National Conference on Food Biotechnology as exhibitors. This conference will be held in Shanghai, China, from 26 to 27 October 2024.

This conference focuses on artificial intelligence and biotechnology used to drive the high-quality development and new quality productivity of the food industry. The conference aims to bring together the wisdom of experts, scholars and industry representatives in the field of food biotechnology and cross-cutting areas, covering the cutting-edge hotspots, subversive technologies and development directions in this field and promoting the cross-fertilization of biotechnology and the food industry based on the intelligent base of artificial intelligence.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Fermentation;
• BioTech;
• Bioengineering;
• Microorganisms;
• Applied Sciences;
• Foods.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have.

World Food Day is an annual event held on 16 October. Food should be diverse, nutritional, affordable, and safe. A greater diversity of nutritious foods should be available in our fields, in our markets, and on our tables, for the benefit of all. The following articles, published in Foods (ISSN: 2304-8158) from 2023 onward, showcase the latest advances and insights in this field. We hope that you enjoy reading them.

1. “Heavy Metals in Foods and Beverages: Global Situation, Health Risks and Reduction Methods”
by Elena Cristina Scutarașu and Lucia Carmen Trinc
Foods 2023, 12(18), 3340; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12183340
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/18/3340

2. “Global Food Security and Sustainability Issues: The Road to 2030 from Nutrition and Sustainable Healthy Diets to Food Systems Change”
by Theodoros Varzakas and Slim Smaoui
Foods 2024, 13(2), 306; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13020306
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/2/306

3. “Designing Nutrition for Health—Incorporating Dietary By-Products into Poultry Feeds to Create Functional Foods with Insights into Health Benefits, Risks, Bioactive Compounds, Food Component Functionality and Safety Regulations”
by Petru Alexandru Vlaicu, Arabela Elena Untea, Iulia Varzaru, Mihaela Saracila and Alexandra Gabriela Oancea
Foods 2023, 12(21), 4001; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12214001
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/21/4001

4. “Microplastics, a Global Issue: Human Exposure through Environmental and Dietary Sources”
by Lucrezia Borriello, Marcello Scivicco, Nunzio Antonio Cacciola, Francesco Esposito, Lorella Severino and Teresa Cirillo
Foods 2023, 12(18), 3396; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12183396
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/18/3396

5. “Applications of Microalgae in Foods, Pharma and Feeds and Their Use as Fertilizers and Biostimulants: Legislation and Regulatory Aspects for Consideration”
by Min Su, Leen Bastiaens, Joran Verspreet and Maria Hayes
Foods 2023, 12(20), 3878; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12203878
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/20/3878

6. “Insects as Valuable Sources of Protein and Peptides: Production, Functional Properties, and Challenges”
by Fatin Fayuni Binti Hasnan, Yiming Feng, Taozhu Sun, Katheryn Parraga, Michael Schwarz and Mohammad Zarei
Foods 2023, 12(23), 4243; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12234243
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/23/4243

7. “Microalgae Proteins as Sustainable Ingredients in Novel Foods: Recent Developments and Challenges”
by Ornella Kongi Mosibo, Giovanna Ferrentino and Chibuike C. Udenigwe
Foods 2024, 13(5), 733; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13050733
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/5/733

8. “A Further Step toward Sustainable Development: The Case of the Edible Mushroom Supply Chain”
by Rachele De Cianni, Giovanna Cristina Varese and Teresina Mancuso
Foods 2023, 12(18), 3433; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12183433
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/18/3433

MDPI journals frequently grant travel awards to empower junior researchers to showcase their latest research at academic conferences, thereby amplifying their impact within their research fields.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 103 recipients of MDPI's 2023 Travel Awards from different countries and territories for their exceptional presentations. These outstanding individuals were selected by the journal editors based on the strength of their research proposals and the anticipated impact of their presentations at academic conferences. We commend their exceptional contributions and wish them continued success in their academic endeavors.

MDPI will continue to provide support and recognition to the academic community. To learn more about the list of awardees, please visit the following pages:

• Biology and Life Sciences;
• Chemistry and Materials Sciences;
• Engineering;
• Environmental and Earth Sciences;
• Medicine and Pharmacology;
• Public Health and Healthcare;
• Others.

About MDPI Awards:

To reward the academic community, especially young researchers, and enhance communication among scientists, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help raise the influence of talented individuals who have been credited with outstanding achievements and are making a significant contribution to the advancement of their fields.

To explore more MDPI awards, please click here.

MDPI will attend the 23rd International Conference “Life Sciences for Sustainable Development”, which will take place from 26 to 28 Sep 2024 in Cluj, Romania, at The University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca.

This conference is a dynamic forum for the exchange of scientific experiences, innovative ideas and concepts, future prospects in agriculture, plant and animal science, food science and technology, biotechnology, and veterinary medicine, as well as other interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary areas.

The 23rd International Conference “Life Sciences for Sustainable Development” includes invited conferences, presented by known international and national personalities, and oral and poster presentations, where recent advanced scientific and technical results can be seen, especially now, in the context of the new European Research Program “Horizon 2020” and of the national Research, Technological Development and Innovation Program, related to life sciences.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Agriculture;
• J;
• Foods;
• Plants;
• Veterinary Sciences;
• Sustainability;
• Dairy;
• Crops;
• Aquaculture;
• Poultry;
• Ruminants;
• Seeds.

If you plan to attend this conference, we invite you to visit our booth and converse with our delegates at the conference venue (The University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Romania). We are excited to meet you in person and address any questions that you may have. For further details about the conference, please visit the following website: https://symposium.usamvcluj.ro/.

We are thrilled to announce an international conference organized by Plants (ISSN: 2223-7747) to be held in Barcelona, Spain, from 31 March through 2 April 2025. This global event, under Plants 2025: From Seeds to Food Security, is significant, bringing together plant scientists worldwide to discuss and share their latest research and findings. The world population is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, just 25 years from now. This calls for a more concerted effort by scientists to increase agricultural production to feed the growing population and maintain a sustainable agroecosystem while increasing crop yields and quality. In addition, preserving waterways from contamination due to the excessive use of agrochemicals (herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers) and maintaining and increasing forest cover are essential issues. This conference addresses these topics through keynote talks and seven different sessions for presenting innovation and prospects for the future.

We will have seven main themes at this conference, where presenters can make their scientific discoveries known:

• Session 1: Plant responses to abiotic stress and climate change;
• Session 2: Plant–microbe interactions;
• Session 3: Emerging technologies in plant health;
• Session 4: Emerging technologies in plant breeding;
• Session 5: Emerging technologies in biotechnology and molecular research;
• Session 6: Seed technologies and seed enhancement;
• Session 7: Plant nutrition.

The conference organizers look forward to having experts in the field deliver keynote talks and invite other experts, postdoctoral scientists, graduate students, and anyone interested in plant research and innovation to attend this conference.

The conference will be held in Barcelona, a picturesque city where scientists from around the world can unwind and enjoy Spanish culture, food and the seaside. We, the conference chairs, look forward to welcoming you to Plants 2025.

Prof. Dr. Dilantha Fernando, Editor-in-Chief of Plants
Prof. Dr. Fermin Morales, Section Editor-in-Chief of Plants
Prof. Dr. Oscar Vicente, Section Editor-in-Chief of Plants

MDPI’s Best PhD Thesis Awards are granted to promising young scholars whose PhD theses are deemed exceptional within their respective research fields. These awards aim to encourage young scholars to continue their outstanding accomplishments and further contribute to their field.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 54 winners of the 2023 Best PhD Thesis Awards and wish them success with their future research endeavors.

MDPI will continue to provide support and recognition to the academic community. To learn more about all the awardees and their research projects in your field of study, please visit the following pages:

About MDPI Awards:

To reward the academic community, especially young researchers, and enhance communication among scientists, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help raise the influence of talented individuals who have been credited with outstanding achievements and are making a significant contribution to the advancement of their fields.

To explore more MDPI awards, please click here.

The Editorial Office of Foods (ISSN: 2304-8158) extends an invitation to scholars with expertise in foods to apply for membership to our Topical Advisory Panel.

The responsibilities of a Topical Advisory Panel Member include the following:

• Providing regular reviews of manuscripts;
• Setting up at least one Special Issue in partnership with a senior researcher within two years of your appointment and proposing a detailed strategy plan for the Special Issue (including soliciting papers, promoting the Special Issue, etc.);
• Providing support for Special Issues/Topics related to your expertise when Guest Editors are unavailable. This includes Special Issue promotion via social media and advising on some scientific matters;
• Promoting Foods at conferences (adding one–two slides into your presentation, distributing flyers, recommending the journal to your colleagues, etc.), on social media, and other relevant platforms;
• Working with Editorial Board Members or the Editorial Office to promote high-quality/featured papers (for example, writing summaries or highlights for editor-selected papers).

The benefits of being a Topical Advisory Panel Member are as follows:

• A certificate in recognition of your position;
• Additional sponsorships for conferences organized by the Topical Advisory Panel Members of Foods;
• Travel grants for conferences that you attend or organize.

Applicants for this position must fulfill the following criteria:

• Have expertise and experience in a field related to foods;
• Have published at least eight papers in the last five years as a first author or corresponding author;
• Have received a Ph.D. degree;
• Currently hold an independent research position in academia or at a government institute.

Please click on the following link to submit your application: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/foods/topical_advisory_panel_application.

For further inquiries or clarifications, applicants are encouraged to direct their correspondence to the Foods Editorial Office via [email protected].

Foods (ISSN: 2304-8158) is recruiting volunteer reviewers. The main responsibility of the reviewers is to regularly provide timely, high-quality reports on submitted manuscripts. The responsibilities of the reviewers are available at https://www.mdpi.com/reviewers.

Peer review is an essential part of the publication process, ensuring that Foods maintains high quality standards for its published papers. We are striving to recognize the efforts of reviewers.

When reviewing for Foods you will experience the following:

• A discount voucher code entitling you to a reduction in the article processing charge (APC) of a future submission to any MDPI journal. Vouchers are linked to your email address and can be applied online at submission or any time before acceptance. Note that vouchers cannot be used after an invoice has been issued. If your article is rejected, the voucher can be reused for your next submission;
• Reviewer voucher codes can be used to pay for Author Services professional English editing;
• A personalized reviewer certificate;
• Consideration for the Outstanding Reviewer Awards; click the following for more information: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/foods/awards;
• Inclusion in the journal’s annual acknowledgment of reviewers if more than 50 reviewers assisted the journal in the previous year;
• Promotion to a Reviewer Board Member (subject to approval by the Editor-in-Chief); click the following for more information: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/foods/submission_reviewers;
• Building a profile on Web of Science Reviewer Recognition Service (formerly Publons) and having their reviewing activity automatically added for participating journals. Publons profiles can also be integrated with ORCID.

To apply, please visit the following link: https://susy.mdpi.com/volunteer/journals/review.

MDPI’s Young Investigator Awards recognize promising early career scientists, acknowledge their contributions, and foster collaboration within the scientific community. We are proud to announce the recipients for 2023, who were carefully selected by the journals’ esteemed Award Evaluation Committee.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 79 winners of MDPI’s 2023 Young Investigator Awards for their excellent contributions in their research field. We look forward to seeing these rising stars continue to contribute to the advancement of science.

MDPI will continue to support and recognize the academic community. To explore details about the awardees by field, please visit the individual pages listed below:

Congratulations to all the winners for their exceptional contributions and dedication to advancing scientific research.

About MDPI Awards:
To support the academic community, particularly young researchers, and to enhance communication among scientists, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help to elevate the profiles of talented individuals who have made outstanding achievements and are making significant contributions to advancements in their respective fields.

To find out more about MDPI awards, please click here.

We are pleased to announce that the winner of the Foods 2024 Young Investigator Award is Dr. Matthew D. Moore.

Dr. Matthew D. Moore is an Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts, USA. His research primarily focuses on food safety microbiology, with a focus on foodborne viruses. Dr. Matthew D. Moore received his Ph.D. in 2016 and has published 61 articles in peer-reviewed international journals. His Scopus Scientific Citation number is 1135, and his Hirsch index is 18. He is a rising star in food science and technology. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Matthew D. Moore on his outstanding achievements.

As the awardee, Dr. Matthew D. Moore will receive the following honorarium:

• CHF 2000;
• An electronic certificate;
• A free voucher for article processing fees valid for one year.

We would like to thank all the nominators from various fields of study and all Award Committee Members for their evaluation of the many excellent nominations.

Prof. Dr. Arun K. Bhunia
Editor-in-Chief of Foods

Three MDPI journals – Animals (ISSN: 2076-2615), Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395), and Foods (ISSN: 2304-8158) – are collaborating with the Agri-Food Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (CITA) to hold an author training session. This session will provide authors with a comprehensive understanding of MDPI's publishing process, current Special Issues in these journals, and opportunities tailored for different author groups. Academic editors will run the session, ensuring that participants gain the knowledge needed to maximize their publishing potential.

Date: 2 October 2024
Time: 11:30–13:00
Venue: The Agri-Food Research and Technology Centre of Aragon
Registration link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6QB2H9L

Schedule:

MDPI speakers:

In May, MDPI Romania held three author training sessions – one endorsing an external event and two stand-alone sessions.

The National Session of Scientific Student Communications took place at Technical University Cluj on 17 and 18 May 2024. MDPI Romania sponsored this event and contributed an author training session on the production of research papers and case study analyses. JRS Norbert Kiss gave a presentation called The World of Open Access to explain different open access publishing models and the benefits of open access publishing. His presentation highlighted the impact of open access publishing on scientific progress and innovation.

On 29 May 2024, MDPI Romania hosted an author training session for Ph.D. students, early career researchers, and professors at the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy. In collaboration with Prof. Andreea Arsene, JRS Ioana Paunescu prepared two presentations: The Steps of the Publishing Process and Elaboration of a Peer Review Report. In her first presentation, she delved into MDPI’s history and mission, MDPI’s editorial process, and MDPI journals of various scopes that are accepting submissions. Her second presentation outlined the types of peer review, the contents of a peer review report by an MDPI reviewer, and the responsibilities of an MDPI reviewer.

MDPI Romania also hosted an author training session at the Iasi University of Life Sciences on 29 May 2024. JRSs Laurentiu Preda and Cosmin Artan gave four presentations: Efficient Writing of an ISI-Indexed Scientific Article, Benefits of Publishing in the Open Access Model, Various Methods of Open Access Publishing, and MDPI Guide for the Article Review Process. The first three presentations offered guidance on how to improve academic writing, the fourth focused on how to write peer review reports. A highly interactive discussion followed the presentations, during which the JRSs provided extensive answers to attendees’ questions.

MDPI is grateful for all the attendees, speakers, and organizers involved in these events. Through their enthusiasm and dedication, these events were great successes.

MDPI will be attending the 22nd World Congress of Food Science and Technology, which will be held from 8 to 12 September 2024, in Rimini, Italy.

The congress aims to outline the new challenges the sector faces and to achieve this, the congress will serve as a multi- and interdisciplinary meeting of all scientific communities. More than 2500 delegates from the Americas, Europe, the Asia–Pacific, and all over the globe will be in attendance.

The conference will include industry-based workshops, distinguished plenary and keynote speakers, industry-led concurrent sessions, applied research presentations, and a plethora of networking opportunities.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Foods;
• Fermentation;
• Nutrients;
• Antioxidants;
• Beverages;
• Dairy;
• Safety;
• Processes.

MDPI will attend the International Conference on Hongqu and Other Fermented Foods (2024 AAB&M), held in Guiyang, China, from 4 to 7 August 2024.

This conference will propose a scientific programme addressing the fundamental aspects, and any types, of products related to AAB, Monascus, Baijiu (liquor, a characteristic fermented product of Guizhou Province) and other fermented foods. We believe that it is necessary to bring together specialists on different types of AAB, Monascus and other microorganisms to elucidate the complex relationships that usually exist in the transformation of natural media to obtain fermented foods and even other products.

Conference Chairmen: Prof. Dr. Fusheng Chen and Prof. Dr. Isidoro García-García.

This conference mainly includes, but is not limited to, the following contents related to acetic acid bacteria, red yeast rice and their fermented products, as well as other fermented foods:

• Microbial biodiversity and classification;
• Genetics and molecular biology;
• Secondary metabolites and their formation mechanism;
• Modernization of the production process of fermented products;
• Flavour and evaluation of fermented foods;
• Historical and cultural heritage, internationalization and other aspects of fermented products;
• Innovation of vinegar, red yeast rice, liquor and other products.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Foods;
• Microorganisms;
• Microbiology Research;
• Applied Microbiology;
• Beverages.

If you plan on attending this conference, please stop by our booth #1058 and speak with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://aab.gznu.edu.cn/aab2024/Home.htm.

Five new journals covering multiple subjects have launched their inaugural issue in June 2024. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access.

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all the Editorial Board Members and each journal will ensure its high-quality output using excellent editorial and rigorous peer review processes, to ensure that the articles achieve high impact and visibility.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal Topics (Selected)
	Prof. Dr. Marco Ranucci, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Italy | Editorial | view inaugural issue	anaesthetic medications; blood and fluid management; pain management; critical care; critical illness | view journal scope | submit an article
	Dr. Giovanni E. Cacciamani, University of Southern California, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	surgical/procedural complications; complications; perioperative adverse events; postoperative adverse events | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr.  Gassan Hodaifa, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain | Editorial | view inaugural issue	laboratory management; laboratory safety; protective equipment; laboratory problems and challenges; laboratory Innovation | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Jan S. Suchodolski, Texas A&M University, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	companion animals health and disease; veterinary care and nutrition; genetics and genomics; behavior and welfare; human-animal relations | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Pierfrancesco De Paola, University of Naples Federico II, Italy | Editorial | view inaugural issue	real estate appraisal; economic and financial valuation of real estate projects; sustainable real estate; housing and urban economics | view journal scope | submit an article

We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. You are welcome to send an application here, or contact the New Journal Committee ([email protected]) if you would like to create more new journals.

MDPI will be attending the 31st International Carbohydrate Symposium (ICS2024), which will be held from 14 to 19 July 2024 in Shanghai, China.

ICS2024 will follow the convention of the previous ICS symposiums to provide a global forum for researchers engaging in all aspects of carbohydrates. Besides classical topics on carbohydrate chemistry, chemical glycobiology, and glycobiology, the current developments of carbohydrates and glycotechnologies in the fields of the diagnosis and therapy of diseases, nutrients and cosmetics, agriculture and biofuels, and materials will be highlighted. ICS2024 will reflect the state-of-art as well as future trends of the glycosciences and forge communication and corporations between glycoscientists from various areas and disciplines.

The following topics will be covered:

• Glycochemistry;
• Glycobiology;
• Carbohydrate drugs;
• Sugar vaccines;
• Carbohydrate materials.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

• Nutrients;
• IJMS;
• Molecules;
• Nutraceuticals;
• Foods;
• Biomolecules;
• Marine Drugs;
• Vaccines;
• CIMB;
• BioChem;
• Applied Sciences;
• Antibodies.

If you are planning to attend the above conference, we encourage you to visit our booth and speak to our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the official website at https://ics2024.casconf.cn/.

We are pleased to share that Foods (ISSN: 2304-8158) was awarded an Impact Factor of 4.7 in the 2023 Journal Citation Reports™ released by Clarivate in June 2024. Foods ranks Q1 (38 among 173 titles) in the “Food Science & Technology” category.

For further statistics, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/journal/foods/stats. For more information about MDPI flagship journals' citation metrics, please see here.

At MDPI, our mission is simple yet powerful, and we strive every day to make scientific research freely accessible to everyone, everywhere. With over 3.5 million authors choosing MDPI, we have established ourselves as a key player driving the open access initiative.

Our journals have received over 57,120 of citations in the Web of Science, making us the most cited open access publisher. With over 800 institutional partners, MDPI continues to demonstrate its dedication to providing reliable and collaborative publishing services.

Foods Editorial Office

MDPI is pleased to announce the inclusion of 237 journals in the 2024 release of the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) and share the key results (see above).

This year, journals covered in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) received category ranks together with journals in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) and Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI). Overall, 139 MDPI journals indexed in ESCI are included in the new unified rankings for the first time.

Enhanced Comparability of Data

According to Clarivate, "the creation of unified category rankings [provides] a simpler and more complete category view for the evaluation of journal performance. [...] The category-first approach simplifies journal performance assessment with a holistic view of all journals in each subject category."

We are thrilled to announce that 72% of our ranked MDPI journals (171 of 237) are above average, in Q1 or Q2. Twenty-nine of our journals received their first Impact Factor this year, accounting for more than 5% of the journals accepted into the Web of Science last year.

MDPI Journals Ranked in JCR

The following data includes all MDPI journals indexed in SCIE, SSCI, ESCI and AHCI.

Source: 2023 Journal Impact Factors, Journal Citation Reports ^TM (Clarivate, 2024)

About MDPI

A pioneer in scholarly, open access publishing, MDPI has supported academic communities since 1996. MDPI is leading the transition to open science by making more research free and accessible to everyone. Over 3.5 million researchers have entrusted MDPI with publishing their scientific discoveries. MDPI’s editorial process is bolstered by a network of dedicated reviewers, a team of 6000 professional, well-trained staff members, and an in-house article submission platform that was designed to ensure efficient processes within its 440 fully open access titles.

MDPI will be attending the IAFP 2024 Annual Meeting, which will be held from 14 to 17 July 2024 in Long Beach, USA.

The conference will focus on current and emerging food safety issues, the latest research, and innovative solutions to new and recurring problems.

More than 3500 top industry, academic, and governmental food safety professionals from six continents will be in attendance. This meeting has grown over the years to become the leading food safety conference worldwide.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Foods;
• Toxics;
• Dairy;
• Antioxidants;
• Applied Sciences;
• Applied Biosciences;
• Fishes;
• Toxins;
• Beverages;
• Antibiotics;
• Sustainability;
• Microorganisms;
• Applied Microbiology.

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

MDPI will be attending the 3rd UNIFood International Conference, which will be held from 28 to 29 June 2024, in Belgrade, Serbia.

This conference will focus specifically on the dialogue between companies and academic and research institutions to strengthen the cooperation between academia and industry.

This conference covers a range of topics, including the following:

• Food Production, Processing, Sustainability, Value-added Food;
• Food Quality and Safety;
• Food Nutrition and Health;
• Hi-Tech Agriculture and Food Production;
• Food Ethics;
• Education, Innovation and Transfer of Knowledge.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Foods;
• Nutrients;
• Safety.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

We are pleased to inform you that Foods (ISSN: 2304-8158) has received a heightened CiteScore of 7.4.

CiteScore provides transparent metrics that enable well-informed publishing strategies, library collection development, and the benchmarking of journal performance. It is now a standard citation metric alongside SNIP and SJR that gives an up-to-date view of a journal’s impact.

The 2023 CiteScore provides an assessment of the scientific influence of journals in the 2020 to 2023 period.

This is a reflection of the excellent performance, support, and dedication of all journal editors, reviewers, authors, and readers.

Foods’ CiteScore ranks as follows:

• Q1 (2 out of 78) in the “Health Professions” category;
• Q1 (64 out 389) in the “Agricultural and Biological Sciences-Food Science” category.

For more journal statistics, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/journal/foods/stats.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the journal.

Foods Editorial Office

MDPI will be attending the 28th International ICFMH Conference, which will be held from 8 to 11 July 2024, in BURGOS, Spain.

This conference will focus on the latest advances in new technologies in food production and microbiological analysis. It is an opportunity to delve into cutting-edge research and technological breakthroughs, exploring the ways in which innovation is driving improvements in food safety and quality.

The conference covers a range of topics, including new trends in food processing, innovative approaches to food safety and quality, and novel methods for microbial analysis. In addition, some emerging field topics are discussed for the first time, such as microplastics and microbiome interactions.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Foods;
• Microorganisms;
• Pathogens;
• Obesities;
• Applied Microbiology;
• Dietetics;
• Applied Biosciences;
• Dairy;
• Nutrients;
• Life;
• Fermentation;
• Antibiotics.

On UNESCO’s 2024 Oceans Day, MDPI encourages the scientific community to increase the accessibility of ocean research to accelerate ocean conservation.

Basel, Switzerland, June 7, 2024: MDPI, a leading open access (OA) publisher, is proud to announce its active support for World Oceans Day 2024, celebrated under UNESCO’s Ocean Decade framework. MDPI’s CEO, Stefan Tochev hopes that “the latest ocean research can be made freely accessible to help empower scientists and communities at large to save our oceans,” under UNESCO’s Ocean Decade until 2030.

Open Access: A Catalyst for Ocean Action

MDPI’s presence at the UNESCO Ocean Decade Conference 2024 highlights our unwavering commitment to using OA to advance ocean science, support research communities, and promote sustainable ocean management.

"Our involvement in the UNESCO Ocean Decade Conference underscores MDPI's commitment to the underfunded Ocean SDG. By promoting OA to scientific articles and books on SDGs, we aim to inspire critical actions," said Tochev. "Our initiatives, like the World Sustainability Award and Emerging Sustainability Award, further demonstrate our dedication to advancing sustainability.”

Showcasing MDPI’s Contributions to Ocean Research

Over the past three years, MDPI has published 30,000 papers focused on ocean research and related topics. Key MDPI journals contributing to this body of work include:

• Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (4.9k papers)
• Remote Sensing (2.6k papers)
• Sustainability (2k papers)
• International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS) (1.7k papers)
• Marine Drugs (1.5k papers)
• Water (1.5k papers)

These publications highlight MDPI’s contributions to ocean science, reinforcing our role in the broader sustainability agenda by promoting blue innovation and economy.

Additionally, MDPI has launched Oceans, an international, peer-reviewed forum specifically aimed at publishing studies related to all branches of oceanography with an emphasis on the functioning of the ocean and the sustainable use of its resources and ecosystem services.

Affirming MDPI’s Commitment to Ocean Science

MDPI’s commitment to OA is pivotal in addressing critical global challenges, from climate change to ocean sustainability. Our efforts resonate with Outcome 4 of the UNESCO Ocean Decade action roadmap: an accessible ocean with open and equitable access to data, information, technology, and innovation. By aligning with UNESCO’s goals, MDPI continues to contribute to shaping a sustainable future for our oceans, reinforcing our position as a forward-thinking publisher dedicated to environmental stewardship and scientific excellence.

For more information, contact Rui Duarte at [email protected] or +41764313242.

About MDPI

95% of authors rate MDPI’s publication process as excellent or good, setting a new benchmark in scientific publishing – reveals 2023 Annual Report. 

Basel, Switzerland, June 4, 2024: MDPI, the leading open access (OA) publisher, proudly announces the release of its 2023 Annual Report, detailing remarkable achievements and reaffirming its leadership in advancing OA publishing. In 2023, MDPI received 655,065 submissions, of which 285,244 articles were published. The company now commands a 17% market share in gold open access articles, with a median publication time of six weeks.

Stefan Tochev, MDPI's CEO, stated, "As a pioneer in open access publishing, MDPI has long been a game-changer in the scholarly community, serving millions of authors around the world to ensure the latest research is freely available. Reflecting on our incredible journey at MDPI, 2023 has been marked by growth in paper submissions, ambitious projects and initiatives aimed at improving our internal processes and delivering top-notch services to our scientists."

MDPI's 2023 Annual Report highlights several key achievements:

• 17% market share in gold open access articles across all disciplines.
• Record satisfaction rates: 95% of authors, 82% of reviewers, and 85% of guest editors.
• Enhanced editorial standards and feedback processes.
• Increased reach and impact with 54 new MDPI journal inclusions in Scopus, 29 in Web of Science, and 77 in DOAJ.

MDPI’s unwavering commitment to advancing OA has transformed the landscape of scholarly publishing, making high-quality research freely accessible to the global scientific community. The continuous improvement in our editorial standards and feedback processes underscores MDPI’s dedication to ensuring academic integrity and excellence.

Global Reach and Collaboration

MDPI’s global footprint continues to expand, with authors from diverse regions: 37% from Asia/Pacific, 36% from Europe, 15% from the Americas, and 12% from other parts of the world. The company’s fully OA platform attracted nearly 14 million monthly visitors in 2023, reflecting its widespread influence in the scientific community.

Commitment to Partnerships

With over 800 institutional partners, MDPI continues to demonstrate its dedication to providing reliable and collaborative publishing services. The introduction of a transparent flat-fee model highlights MDPI's ongoing efforts to enhance affordability and support to the academic community. For more details read our 2023 Annual Report.

For more information, contact Rui Duarte at [email protected] or +41764313242.

About MDPI

1. “Low Gluten Beers Contain Variable Gluten and Immunogenic Epitope Content”
by Mitchell G. Nye-Wood, Keren Byrne, Sally Stockwell, Angéla Juhász, Utpal Bose and Michelle L. Colgrave
Foods 2023, 12(17), 3252; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12173252
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/17/3252

2. “Proximate Composition, Retained Water, and Bacterial Load for Two Sizes of Hybrid Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus × Ictalurus punctatus) Fillets at Different Process Steps”
by Manirul Haque and Juan L. Silva
Foods 2023, 12(5), 1112; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12051112
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/5/1112

3. “In-Depth Insight into the Mechanism of Incorporation of Abelmoschus manihot Gum on the Enhancement of Gel Properties and In Vitro Digestibility of Frankfurters”
by Dongxue Yuan, Xue Liang, Baohua Kong, Fangda Sun, Xin Li, Chuanai Cao and Qian Liu
Foods 2023, 12(7), 1507; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071507
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/7/1507

4. “Assessment of Aspartame (E951) Occurrence in Selected Foods and Beverages on the German Market 2000–2022”
by Sydney Schorb, Katharina Gleiss, Roland Wedekind, Eero Suonio, Ann-Kathrin Kull, Marcel Kuntz, Stephan G. Walch and Dirk W. Lachenmeier
Foods 2023, 12(11), 2156; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12112156
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/11/2156

5. “Comparison of Physico-Chemical Properties, Phytochemical Compositions and Sensory Characteristics of Wheat Breads Enriched with Coriander Seed Powder”
by Mehmet Musa Özcan
Foods 2023, 12(7), 1412; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071412
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/7/1412

6. “Understanding the Metabolism and Dissipation Kinetics of Flutriafol in Vegetables under Laboratory and Greenhouse Scenarios”
by María Elena Hergueta-Castillo, Rosalía López-Ruiz, Antonia Garrido Frenich and Roberto Romero-González
Foods 2023, 12(1), 201; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010201
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/1/201

7. “Earth Worming—An Evaluation of Earthworm (Eisenia andrei) as an Alternative Food Source”
by Ruchita Rao Kavle, Patrick James Nolan, Alan Carne, Dominic Agyei, James David Morton and Alaa El-Din Ahmed Bekhit
Foods 2023, 12(10), 1948; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12101948
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/10/1948

8. “Consumers’ Acceptance, Emotions, and Responsiveness to Informational Cues for Air-Fried Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) Skin Chips”
by Silvia Murillo, Ryan Ardoin and Witoon Prinyawiwatkul
Foods 2023, 12(7), 1536; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071536
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/7/1536

9. “Eurotium cristatum from Fu Brick Tea Promotes Adipose Thermogenesis by Boosting Colonic Akkermansia muciniphila in High-Fat-Fed Obese Mice”
by Yu Wang, Ting Li, Chengcheng Yang, Yingmei Wu, Yueyue Liu and Xingbin Yang
Foods 2023, 12(20), 3716; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12203716
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/20/3716

10. “Preference Drivers for Blackberry Nectar (Rubus spp., Rosaceae) with Different Sweeteners”
by Helena Maria André Bolini, Rafael Sousa Lima, Raquel Linhares de Freitas and Alessandra Cazelatto de Medeiros
Foods 2023, 12(3), 549; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12030549
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/3/549

11. “Safety Analysis of Korean Cottage Industries’ Doenjang, a Traditional Fermented Soybean Product: A Special Reference to Biogenic Amines”
by Ashutosh Bahuguna, Vishal Kumar, Gajanan Bodkhe, Srinivasan Ramalingam, SeMi Lim, Ah-ryeong Joe, Jong Suk Lee, So-Young Kim and Myunghee Kim
Foods 2023, 12(22), 4084; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12224084
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/22/4084

12. “Applicability and Freshness Control of pH-Sensitive Intelligent Label in Cool Chain Transportation of Vegetables”
by Tianlin Feng, Huizhi Chen and Min Zhang
Foods 2023, 12(18), 3489; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12183489
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/18/3489

13. “Cellulose Isolation from Tomato Pomace: Part II—Integrating High-Pressure Homogenization in a Cascade Hydrolysis Process for the Recovery of Nanostructured Cellulose and Bioactive Molecules”
by Annachiara Pirozzi, Federico Olivieri, Rachele Castaldo, Gennaro Gentile and Francesco Donsì
Foods 2023, 12(17), 3221; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12173221
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/17/3221

14. “Microbial Decontamination of Red Wine by Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) after Alcoholic and Malolactic Fermentation: Effect on Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Oenococcus oeni, and Oenological Parameters during Storage”
by Carlota Delso, Alejandro Berzosa, Jorge Sanz, Ignacio Álvarez and Javier Raso
Foods 2023, 12(2), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12020278
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/2/278

15. “Animal Species Authentication in Dairy Products”
by Isabel Mafra, Mónica Honrado and Joana S. Amaral
Foods 2022, 11(8), 1124; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11081124
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/8/1124

16. “Rheological and Viscoelastic Properties of Chitosan Solutions Prepared with Different Chitosan or Acetic Acid Concentrations”
by Paulo José do Amaral Sobral, Gebremedhin Gebremariam, Federico Drudi, Ana Cristina De Aguiar Saldanha Pinheiro, Santina Romani, Pietro Rocculi and Marco Dalla Rosa
Foods 2022, 11(17), 2692; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11172692
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/17/2692

17. “Rheology and Tribology of Ethylcellulose-Based Oleogels and W/O Emulsions as Fat Substitutes: Role of Glycerol Monostearate”
by Ruoning Zhang, Yanhui Zhang, Jingjing Yu, Yanxiang Gao and Like Mao
Foods 2022, 11(15), 2364; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152364
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/15/2364

18. “Extraction Systems and Analytical Techniques for Food Phenolic Compounds: A Review”
by Antonio Lama-Muñoz and María del Mar Contreras
Foods 2022, 11(22), 3671; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11223671
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/22/3671

It is our great pleasure to announce the winner of the Foods 2023 Best Ph.D. Thesis Award. This award is given in recognition of a Ph.D. student or recently qualified Ph.D. fellow who has produced a highly anticipated thesis with great academic potential.

The award has been granted to:

“Microorganisms with Probiotic Action in Alterations Caused by Exposure to Obesogenic Xenobiotics: Modulation and Intervention in Microbiota Dysbiosis”
by Ana López Moreno, University of Granada, Granada, Spain

The winner will receive an honorarium of CHF 800, an electronic certificate and an offer to publish one paper free of charge in Foods (ISSN: 2304-8158) after peer review before 30 June 2025.

On behalf of the evaluation committee, we want to congratulate the winner on her accomplishments. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the applicants for submitting their exceptional theses and the Award Committee for voting and helping with this award.

We are pleased to announce MDPI’s Transfer Service.

This service provides a convenient method of transferring your manuscript file, along with any reviewer comments, to another journal within our publishing portfolio.

We are committed to helping authors find the right home for their research, and we will provide authors with guidance and technical support through all stages of the transfer process. Authors will be able to choose to transfer in the following two situations:

1. Select alternative journals on submission.

2. Authors are encouraged to transfer manuscripts to other MDPI journals.

More details about the Transfer Service can be found at the following link:

https://www.mdpi.com/authors/transfer-service

We are pleased to announce the winner of the Foods 2024 Travel Award. This award has been granted to Dr. Sneh Bangar, who was listed in the “World Ranking of Top 2% Scientists” published by Stanford University, USA. Now, she is a post-doctorate fellow in the Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences at Clemson University, USA.

As the awardee, she will receive an honorarium of CHF 800 and an electronic certificate.

With so many high-quality applicants, the evaluation process and final decision were challenging. We would like to thank all the applicants for submitting their diverse and fascinating range of research topics. On behalf of the assessment committee, we congratulate the winner on her accomplishments.

In acknowledgment of the groundbreaking achievements of Professor Tu Youyou, the Nobel laureate credited with the discovery of artemisinin, MDPI is proud to announce the Tu Youyou Award. This award, inaugurated in 2016, seeks to honor scholars who excel in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Prize:

• CHF 100,000 in total (If there is more than one winner, the prize will be divided equally amongst the winners);
• An award medal for each winner.

Who should be nominated?

• Scientists with outstanding achievements and contributions in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Who can submit a nomination?

• Academic research institutes
• Universities
• Academic societies

Any personal nominations are not accepted.

How do I submit a nomination?
Candidates’ institutional affiliations need to submit their nominations for final candidates to the Tu Youyou Award Team directly by email after internal screening, and each institution can only nominate a maximum of two candidates for each edition of the Tu Youyou Award. Please note that the nominations cannot be modified once they are submitted and confirmed by the Tu Youyou Award Team.

Required nomination materials:
Nomination Form (Download)

Schedule:
Nomination deadline: 31 December 2024;
Winner announcement: 30 April 2025.

Contact:
Tu Youyou Award Team ([email protected])

More information can be found on the Tu Youyou Award official website. For any inquiries, do not hesitate to contact the Tu Youyou Award Team.

MDPI Romania sponsored four events over the month of April, contributing author training sessions to each event.

The NutriSciLabs 2024 conference was held at the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy on 12 April 2024. Organized by the Association of Students from the Faculty of Pharmacy Studies, the conference aimed to enhance students’ academic writing and research skills, and bolster their confidence in participating in the academic world. Ioana Paunescu, journal relations specialist for MDPI Romania, led the training session. Paunescu first outlined MDPI’s history and core values, then explained academic writing techniques, ethics, and similarity percentages. The presentation covered the entire editorial process, highlighting the amount of attention paid to details throughout manuscript processing. Paunescu also discussed common errors that authors make while writing, and how to avoid such errors.

On 13 April 2024, the NextGEN 2.0 Student Conference took place at the Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca. NextGen Healthcare organized this event with the university’s European Students’ Society to discuss European and international current affairs. MDPI Romania contributed an author training session called Steps of the Publication Process. Irina Codruta Zaharia, journal relations specialist, began the session with a general introduction of MDPI before diving into different article types, different layout formats, possible journals to submit to, the MDPI submission checklist, and the MDPI editorial process. By explaining the fundamentals of writing and publishing academic papers, Zaharia imparted valuable industry knowledge to the curious minds present. Participants were eager to engage with Zaharia in the subsequent Q&A session.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the International Conference “Students for Students” has long been a gathering place for undergraduate and postgraduate students of all nationalities to present their work and exchange ideas with each other. This year’s conference was held on 18 April 2024, with MDPI Romania contributing an author training session called The World of Open Access. Key speakers included Dr. Norbert Kiss from MDPI Romania and Prof. Dragos Horvath from Strasbourg University. Dr. Kiss discussed the history of open access, differences between open access publishing and traditional publishing, and implications for open access in the future. Attendees expressed keen interest in the subject, approaching Dr. Kiss with questions about academic publishing as well as his career trajectory.

Most recently, on 26 April 2024, MDPI Romania sponsored the National Symposium of Students from Geology and Geophysics Faculties. The AAPG Students Chapter at the Babes-Bolyai University organized this event as an opportunity for geology students from all Romanian universities to present their work and confer with other researchers. Dr. Kiss gave his lecture The World of Open Access at this event as well.

MDPI is thankful to all the participants, speakers, and organizers who attended these events. Through their enthusiasm and dedication, these events were great successes.

MDPI, the leading Open Access (OA) publisher, announced on Monday that it opened its Korean branch office on 29th April 2024. With this addition, MDPI now operates 21 offices in 12 countries worldwide. Claude Seo, with over 20 years of experience in the academic journal publishing industry, including Nature Publishing Group (NPG), has been appointed as the Office Manager of the Seoul office.

With the establishment of a Seoul office, MDPI aims to actively support Korea scientific communities to further promote the publication of OA journals in the region. As of the end of 2023, Korea ranked sixth worldwide in both submissions and publications of MDPI research papers. MDPI is the number one OA publisher in Korea.

Sungkyunkwan University Joins MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program

In addition, MDPI announced that Sungkyunkwan University joined MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP). This program offers free access to MDPI online submission system for the institutions and APC discounts to affiliated authors. Thirteen major Korean universities, including Sungkyunkwan University, Kyung Hee University, Chung-Ang University and Catholic University of Korea, have adopted IOAP in Korea.

OA aims to break down barriers that have traditionally restricted access to science, ensuring that knowledge is available to all, regardless of financial situation or institutional affiliations. Authors, academia, and scientific communities are rapidly moving toward OA. MDPI has been at the forefront of reshaping the academic publishing landscape, with OA surpassing subscription-based publishing in 2020.

MDPI CEO Visits Seoul, Korea

In March, Stefan Tochev, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MDPI, visited Korea and met with various stakeholders including government agencies, research and academic institutions, universities. During his visit, Stefan highlighted that MDPI continues to pave the way for a world where science is accessible to all, supporting a global community of inclusive innovation and collaborative solutions.

Stefan expressed excitement about the new venture, stating, "Today marks a significant milestone for MDPI as we celebrate the opening of our new office in Seoul, Korea. This expansion is more than just an increase in our physical footprint, it is a pivotal step in our ongoing commitment to making scientific knowledge more accessible, participatory, and inclusive across the globe."

Claude Seo, reflecting on his new role, commented, "I am delighted to have been offered this position of trust within MDPI, the no. 1 scholarly OA publisher. As we establish our presence in Korea, we are dedicated to integrating into the local community and contributing to its vibrant culture. Our commitment goes beyond business growth; it is about creating a more informed and innovative society by embracing and promoting diversity within the scientific community.”

For further inquiries, please contact our Seoul office directly.

About MDPI

A pioneer in scholarly, open access publishing, MDPI has supported academic communities since 1996. MDPI is leading the transition to open science by making more research free and accessible to everyone. Over 3.3 million researchers have entrusted MDPI with publishing their scientific discoveries. MDPI’s editorial process is bolstered by a network of dedicated reviewers, a team of 6000 diligent, well-trained staff members, and an in-house article submission platform that was designed to ensure efficient processes within its 430 fully OA titles.

In order to improve the journal’s academic vitality and cultivate a new generation of academic leaders for Foods (ISSN: 2304-8158), we are now recruiting Young Editorial Board Members. These target members should be young scholars early in their careers who have sufficient academic experience and will, therefore, be able to contribute toward the long-term development of the journal.

The primary responsibilities of Editorial Board Members include the following:

• Pre-screening and making decisions on new submissions related to their research interests;
• Setting up at least one Special Issue during their term on a topic related to their research interests (or supervising Special Issues related to their research field);
• Providing input or feedback regarding journal policies;
• Helping to promote the journal among their peers or at conferences;
• Attending Board meetings to suggest journal development strategies;
• Reviewing manuscripts.

The benefits of being an Editorial Board Member include the following:

• Publication of one paper free of charge per year in Foods and potential discounts for additional papers that they invite;
• A recognition certificate as an Editorial Board Member of Foods;
• Additional sponsorships for conferences organized by Editorial Board Members;
• The opportunity to take advantage of the website or the Board to announce conferences (which Foods can sponsor) and disseminate news, position openings, or any message useful to the scientific community.

The requirements for applying to the Young Editorial Board Member position include the following:

• No more than 40 years of age;
• Enthusiasm for journal work and being able to assume the responsibilities required of Editorial Board Members;
• Good communication and collaboration skills and ability to communicate effectively with internal and external scholars (including but not limited to authors, reviewers, Internal Editorial Board, Guest Editors);
• Past experience as a Special Issue Guest Editor or reviewer will receive priority.

If you are interested in becoming an Editorial Board Member of Foods, please send your full academic CV and a short cover letter that shows your interest and enthusiasm for the position to the Foods Editorial Office ([email protected]) and [email protected]. We look forward to working with you in the future.

In recognizing the exceptional efforts of our reviewers in 2023, we express our sincere gratitude for upholding the high standards of Foods. Their commitment ensured the rigorous peer review that is integral to quality academic publishing.

In 2023, Foods received 16768 review reports, from 7610 reviewers. This past year, we worked with reviewers from 107 countries and regions, reflecting the diversity in our collaboration with research communities. Their dedication shapes scholarly discourse and advances global research. The editorial team expresses gratitude for the vital role played by each reviewer in the Foods family throughout 2023, and we look forward to their continued support in 2024.

The following are the reviewers who have consented to show their names: