Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern

The Journal of Research in Agriculture and Food Sciences (JRAFS) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, integrity, and reliability of the scholarly record. We recognize that published articles represent a “Version of Record,” which readers rely upon as accurate, complete, and citable. However, in rare cases, errors or ethical concerns may require corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern. JRAFS follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines in managing these situations.

1. Corrections (Errata and Corrigenda)

Errors identified in published articles that affect the accuracy or interpretation of the work may be corrected through a corrigendum (author-initiated) or erratum (publisher-initiated).

• Corrections are published in a subsequent issue, clearly linked to the original article, and include the original article citation.

• The purpose of a correction is to ensure that readers are informed of the change and its nature.

• Minor errors arising from the normal course of scientific research that do not affect the conclusions of the work generally do not require a formal correction.

Authors are provided the opportunity to review proofs prior to publication to minimize errors and ensure accuracy.

2. Expressions of Concern

An Expression of Concern may be issued if substantial doubt arises regarding the honesty, integrity, or reliability of a published article, but an investigation is ongoing or inconclusive.

• The Editor-in-Chief may publish an expression of concern while the matter is reviewed, typically by the authors’ institution or relevant governing body.

• Once the investigation concludes, a correction, retraction, or notice of resolution will be published as appropriate.

• The Expression of Concern serves to inform readers of potential issues while maintaining transparency.

3. Article Withdrawal

• Prior to acceptance: Authors may request withdrawal of a manuscript without penalty.

• Articles in Press: Manuscripts accepted but not yet assigned to a formal issue may be withdrawn if they contain errors, were accidentally submitted twice, or violate publication ethics (e.g., multiple submission, plagiarism, fraudulent authorship claims, or data fabrication).

• Published articles: Once formally published in an issue, articles cannot be withdrawn except in exceptional legal circumstances (see Article Removal below).

4. Article Retraction

A retraction is issued for articles that:

• Involve ethical breaches such as plagiarism, duplicate publication, fraudulent authorship, or data falsification, or

• Contain serious errors that invalidate the work.

Retraction procedures include:

• Publication of a retraction notice titled “Retraction: [Article Title],” signed by the authors and/or Editor-in-Chief, and included in a subsequent issue.

• A link from the retraction notice to the original article in the online database.

• Retained PDF of the original article with a watermark on each page indicating “Retracted.”

• Removal of the HTML version of the article to prevent citation of flawed content.

Retractions maintain transparency while preserving the scholarly record.

5. Article Removal (Legal Limitations)

In rare cases, articles may be removed from the online database if:

• The content is defamatory or infringes legal rights,

• A court order mandates removal, or

• Publication could pose a serious health risk.

In such cases, the article’s metadata (title, authors) is retained, and a notice is published explaining that the article has been removed for legal reasons.

6. Article Replacement

If a published article poses a serious health risk or contains critical errors, authors may submit a corrected version to replace the flawed original.

• The original article will be retracted, following standard retraction procedures.

• A retraction notice will link to the corrected republished article, providing a complete history of the changes for transparency.