Food Chemistry

I am submitting to this journal for the first time, and I have listed some easily overlooked requirements for your reference.
1. The number of references should not exceed 40. The total number of figures and tables should not exceed 6. The text should not exceed 7500 words.
2. Recommended reviewers should not be from the same country as the authors. Actually, the guide for authors states that no more than two reviewers from the same country as the authors should be recommended. We recommended two reviewers from China, but the editor-in-chief mentioned in the email for major revisions that reviewers from the same country should not be recommended, and they hope we can comply with this in the future.
3. In the email requesting revisions, the editor-in-chief mentioned that there should not be too many references from Chinese authors. Indeed, in my first submission, I did have a relatively high number of references from Chinese authors, accounting for more than one-third of the total references.
4. Speed: The process was initially very slow. In fact, we submitted once before November 21, 2022, and after more than 20 days in the "with editor" status, we were informed that it did not meet the requirements (the reference format was incorrect, and there were too many figures and tables). This time, after submitting, it took 38 days to enter the "under review" status. It also took 10 days to receive the results after the review was completed. The efficiency does not seem to be like that of a top-tier journal. However, the response was very quick after the major revisions were returned.

No, with the editor, they will judge whether your article meets the innovation points and direction of the journal. If it passes this stage, the editor will invite peer reviewers to review your article, which is called "under review." During this period, the reviewers will carefully review and evaluate your article, and then provide their recommendations and whether it is suitable for acceptance/rejection by the journal. After the first round of review by the reviewers, it will move to the "required reviewers completed" stage. Then, the review comments will be sent back to the editor, who will review your article in detail based on the reviewers' comments and evaluations, and make a decision to accept/reject it. However, you need to be clear that it is the editor, not the reviewers, who decide whether your article is accepted. The reviewers' opinions and thoughts are only to help the editor make a better judgment on your article. The final decision lies solely with the editor. The reviewers' recommendation does not guarantee acceptance; only if the editor thinks it is suitable, they will send you a major/minor revision/acceptance. If the editor thinks it is not suitable, they will directly indicate "decision in process/transfer."