Romanian Journal of Food Science

EDITURA ACADEMIEI ROMNE

http://www.ear.ro

Official Journal of the Romanian Association

of Food Professionals
http://www.asiar.ro

Editorial

Why Romanian Journal of Food Science?

Why another journal? and Why Romanian?

one should ask.
Romanian Journal of Food Science is the official
scientific journal of the Romanian Association of
Food Professionals from education, research and
food processing fields and the first issue is due to be
published in March 2011.
The Romanian Association of Food Professionals
from education, research and food processing fields
was founded in October 2009 as legal non-profit
entity of private law aiming to promote food
industry and food professionals of Romania.
The missions of this Association are to bring
together all those that are working in Romanian
higher education in food science, engineering and
technology, food research institutes and food
manufacturing companies; to represent all food
professionals in relation with national and
international authorities; to defend individual,
collective and fundamental interests of its members;
to have legislative initiatives which bring the food
industry amongst Romanias economic priorities; to
define the areas that are in need of research and/or of
transfer of technology; to stimulate international
experiences, exchange and co-operation for the
advancement of knowledge in this area; and to
advance in knowledge for the assurance of safety of
all products meant for human consumption.
One of the activities that are needed to achieve
the objectives mentioned in the Association Statute
is to set up a scientific journal with national and
international impact. After quite a long way
consisting of several steps: preparation (name of the
journal, editorial board, advisory scientific board,
publisher agreement, ISSN code, etc.), article
submitting, peer-review process, pre-launching, the
first issue of the journal is ready to be published.

Why Food Science? would be the next

question. Let us explore a bit the world of food
science and food scientists.
Food Science is a name used to describe the
application of scientific principles to create and
maintain a wholesome food supply. Besides, it is a
very broad research field, including studies on food
composition, processing, safety, nutrition, cooking,
and consumption.
The IFT Committee on Higher Education gave a
more comprehensive definition: Food Science is
the discipline in which the engineering, biological,
and physical sciences are used to study the nature of
foods, the causes of deterioration, the principles
underlying food processing, and the improvement of
foods for the consuming public noted Dennis R.
Heldmana in the October 2006 issue of Food
Technology b.
Activities of food scientists include the
development of new products, design of processes to
produce these foods, choice of packaging materials,
shelf-life studies, and sensory evaluation of the
product with trained expert panels or potential
consumers, as well as microbiological and chemical
testing.
Food scientists at universities may study more
fundamental phenomena that are directly linked to
the production of a particular food and its properties.
Consequently, food science is a highly
interdisciplinary applied science which incorporates
concepts from many different fields such as
chemistry, physics, biochemistry, microbiology,
chemical engineering. Among food science topics
there are: food chemistry and biochemistry, food
a

Dennis R. Heldman was the President of the Institute

of Food Technologists (IFT) n the period 20062007.
b
Food Technology is an IFT publication.

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Editorial

physics, food microbiology, food safety, food

preservation, food engineering, food packaging,
product development, food sensory analysis, food
technology, food processing, food quality, quality
control, food biotechnology, food toxicology,
consumer science, molecular gastronomy, health and
nutrition. A lot of connections and interdependencies
exist between these topics. However, they are
continuously undergoing changes to meet the more
and more diverse consumer demands.
Nowadays, one of the challenges of the research
in food science is the development of products and
processes by employing modern tools and
knowledge, such as biotechnology and genetic
engineering, in particular by better understanding of
the relationship between molecular structure and
functional properties of biological materials.
Food safety and security will be an even more
critical issue as consumers demand fresher foods and
manufacturers transport the food over longer
distances.

developments in this area and, in return, they will

become the driving forces for the future of food
science.
All these aspects were carefully analysed before
the decision to release another food publication,
namely Romanian Journal of Food Science, was put
into practice.
Therefore, Romanian Journal of Food Science
will publish, in English, papers that should have a
clear orientation into the following subjects of food
science: food chemistry and biochemistry, food
consumer science, food control, food engineering,
food microbiology, food packaging and preservation, food physical properties, food quality, food
safety, food technology and processing, food
toxicology, health and nutrition, biosensors for food
processing and quality control, food sensory, food
biotechnology and the list remains opened for future
food challenges.

In addition, there is significant interest in

identifying preservation technologies that can
improve food safety and security to meet the
growing demand for fresh and healthy convenient
foods.

Consequently, as stated in the list of the

Romanian Association of Food Professionals
activities, the new food journal aims to represent
food scientists of all Romanian food higher
education establishments, research institutes and
food practitioners of Romanian food industry.
Moreover, having an international editorial board,
the journal hopes to attract food scientists from
abroad for publishing and sharing ideas, experience
and co-operation.

The future of food science also relies on the

education and training of the young researchers. It is
the responsibility of senior food scientists and
professionals to give the opportunity for the young
to share the vision of the future and to get them
involved in the international research community. In
this way, the young are more aware of the trends and

Finally, as the Editor-in-Chief of Romanian

Journal of Food Science, I would like to take this
opportunity to sincerely thank for the contribution
from the authors and the reviewers. I would also like
to express my special appreciation to the Romanian
Academy and Publishing House of Romanian
Academy.

Furthermore, new packaging materials and

techniques will be developed to give more protection
to foods.

Maria TURTOI
Editor-in-chief
Romanian Journal of Food Science
Official Journal of the Romanian
Association of Food Professionals
E-mail: maria.turtoi@asiar.ro

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