Tips on Determining Whether Your Project Is Within Scope for JAFPT

The Journal of Aquatic Food Product Technology has a broad scope (https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=wafp20). It covers harvest, handling, and processing of aquatic food. It also covers basic studies related to food chemistry, microbiology, and engineering of all flora and fauna from aquatic environs, including seaweeds and underutilized species used directly for human consumption or alternative uses. Clearly not within scope of the journal are papers that focus only on how to aquaculture aquatic animals or plants. These papers must link to the harvest, handling, processing, or consumption of the aquatic food. If they do not make this connection, they should be submitted to journals focused on supporting aquaculture research.

As editors, we have discussed many times what is meant by “all flora and fauna from aquatic environs.” If it lives on the water (like a duck) is that a “fauna” from aquatic environs? The answer is no, because it lives on the water, not in the water. In general, we use the tables for vertebrate and invertebrate species found at the following website: https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/GuidanceRegulation/UCM252383.pdf to determine if the fauna being researched is within scope. Notably missing from these tables, however, are the sea mammals and some of the aquatic reptiles and amphibians. Although consumption of marine mammals is not very common, they would be within the scope of the journal. Research on reptiles and amphibians would be within scope if there is general interest or novelty of the study.

Flora is a different matter. If the edible portion of the aquatic plant is above water (i.e. as with watercress and rice), it would not be within the scope of the journal. The editors for this journal have decided that the micro- and macro-algae are within the scope of the journal. As with aquaculture of invertebrates and vertebrates, authors need to make sure macro- or micro-algae papers are not solely about the production of the algae. We have seen quite a few papers submitted that focus on using micro-algae to produce other pharmaceutical products. These are not about the use of the micro-algae themselves as a food/ingredient and therefore are out of scope. Hopefully, these quick guidelines will help potential contributors in determining whether their paper meets the scope of JAFPT.