IAFNS’s Core Values:
Scientific integrity and transparency are core values of IAFNS.
We bring scientific experts and leaders together to catalyze science for confident decision-making by all sectors. IAFNS believes researchers from the public and private sectors can and should work together on science and public health issues. Public-private collaboration - where all interests are declared and all funding is acknowledged - can advance science for public benefit.
IAFNS has earned the 2024 Platinum Seal of Transparency! View our Candid nonprofit profile.
Integrity in Science - It's Who We Are
Scientific integrity is essential to advancing credible science for the purpose of improving society. IAFNS is a recognized leader in addressing issues of scientific integrity, research public-private partnerships, and conflict of interest through our work with federal agencies and scientific professional societies. We are proud of our extensive programs on scientific integrity, and we integrate scientific integrity into every step of our research programs.
Assembly on Scientific Integrity
The Assembly on Scientific Integrity includes the IAFNS Board of Trustees, IAFNS Scientific Leadership Council, and all IAFNS members from government, industry, and academia. With representation from all three sectors of our membership, the Assembly is active in ensuring IAFNS achieves and promotes the highest standards of scientific integrity.
View the Assembly’s current and recent projects and efforts.
Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) Guidelines
The Center for Open Science's Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) Guidelines provide actionable steps for institutions to practice and promote transparent, reproducible, and rigorous research. IAFNS is a TOP Guidelines signatory. As a signatory, IAFNS supports the principles expressed in the guidelines and supports the implementation of these principles by our funded researchers. All new projects moving forward will work to adhere to the TOP Guidelines.
Our commitment to transparency is evidenced by our establishment a Collection page on the Open Science Framework. The IAFNS Collection aggregates all IAFNS-supported research projects that are registered on the Open Science Framework in one place. It provides greater visibility of the breadth and rigor of research that has been undertaken by the investigators we support, and allows the scientific community to more easily discover our work.
Overview of IAFNS Process to Address Scientific Integrity in Funded Projects
To ensure the highest level of scientific integrity and transparency, all investigators funded through IAFNS are required to adhere to the Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) Guidelines and the Guiding Principles for Funding of Food and Nutrition Research. However, should an issue of scientific misconduct arise during an IAFNS funded project, the following steps will occur:
- IAFNS will rely on the institution in which the research is being conducted to detect and address research misconduct
- Research misconduct includes but is not limited to fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, and any other practice that seriously deviates from practices commonly accepted in the academic and research community.
- The Institution will promptly report in writing to IAFNS all incidents of research misconduct by researchers during the Project.
- If IAFNS determines that any individual employed by or contracted for by the Institution has engaged in Research Misconduct in the course of the Project, IAFNS may, in its sole discretion, end the project.
Additional Resources for Scientific Integrity
Want to report an issue of research misconduct? Please email IAFNS at integrity@iafns.org
- Note: IAFNS does not investigate reports of scientific integrity independently. The appropriate institution will be contacted after receiving the inquiry.
Additionally, please refer to resources below for additional information and support on scientific integrity or research conduct:
- Research Integrity: https://grants.nih.gov/policy/research_integrity/index.htm
- Best Practices for Ensuring Scientific Integrity and Preventing Misconduct: https://www.oecd.org/science/inno/40188303.pdf
- Guidelines for the Responsible Conduct of Research: Ethics and the Publication Process: https://www.asha.org/policy/gl2009-00308/
Publications
A Partnership for Public Health: USDA Branded Food Products Database
Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 2017
Read more about A Partnership for Public Health: USDA Branded Food Products Database
A Partnership for Public Health: Branded Food Products Database
Procedia Food Science, 2015
An overview of the presentation at the 2014 National Nutrient Databank Conference on A Partnership for Public Health: USDA Branded Food Products Database.
Read more about A Partnership for Public Health: Branded Food Products Database
Events
Best Practices in Funding of Food and Nutrition Research
September 29, 2022
Virtual, Event
In a virtual lunch and learn session, IAFNS reviewed Best Practices in Funding of Food and Nutrition Research with global scientists.
Read more about Best Practices in Funding of Food and Nutrition Research
GS1 Connect 2022
June 7, 2022 – June 9, 2022
San Diego, CA
IAFNS is representing the Partnership on the USDA Global Branded Food Products Database at GS1 Connect 2022. This event brings trading partners together to learn about standards-based business processes and best practices for optimum efficiencies in managing the supply and demand sides of their value chain
7th World Conference on Research Integrity
May 29, 2022 – June 1, 2022
Cape Town, South Africa
The World Conferences on Research Integrity conferences foster the exchange of information and discussion about responsible conduct of research.
42nd National Nutrient Databank Conference
May 16, 2022 – May 18, 2022
Virtual, Conference
The National Nutrient Databank Conference is held bi-annually to foster communication among nutrient database generators and users. Participation is open to researchers from academia, the food industry, government, and other interested parties.
Strengthening Research Integrity: Which Areas Should the Research Community Focus On?
November 30, 2021
Virtual, Event
Join us for a presentation of the study “Strengthening research integrity: which topic areas should organisations focus on?” and panel discussion on how the topic areas prioritized in this study compare to those prioritized and implemented within the food and nutrition research community.