Last Updated on July 16, 2026 by Dr. Bhagat
JOURNAL METRICS·Updated June 2026
Nature Food Impact Factor 2025
Nature Food Impact Factor 2025 is 22.0 (Q1, Food Science & Technology, Clarivate JCR). Launched in 2020, this journal addresses the critical nexus of agricultural science, nutrition, sustainability, and food systems policy.
COMPLETE METRICSIndicator Overview
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Impact Factor | 22.0 | JCR 2025 |
| Quartile | Q1 | Food Science & Technology |
| CiteScore | 28.5 | Scopus-based |
| SJR | 5.8 | Scimago |
| h-index | 52 | All-time |
| ISSN | 2662-1355 | |
| Publisher | Springer Nature | Since 2020 |
| Established | 2020 | Launch year |
| Category | Food Science & Technology | JCR classification |
JOURNAL SCOPEFood Science at the Intersection of Disciplines
Nature Food represents a bold editorial experiment that has paid substantial dividends. When the journal launched in 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was disrupting global food supply chains, there was a clear need for a publication venue that could accommodate research spanning molecular nutrition, agricultural biotechnology, food systems modeling, and policy analysis. Traditional food science journals focused primarily on food chemistry, processing technology, and sensory evaluation. Nature Food expanded this scope dramatically, welcoming submissions on sustainable diets, climate impacts on agriculture, food waste reduction, and the environmental footprint of dietary choices.
An Impact Factor of 22.0 demonstrates that this expanded scope resonated with researchers and citation networks alike. The journal has become a meeting ground for agricultural scientists, nutritionists, environmental researchers, and economists who share an interest in how humanity feeds itself sustainably. This interdisciplinary character is precisely what generates the citation density that drives a high Impact Factor; papers published in Nature Food are cited by researchers in ecology, public health, environmental science, and economics departments, not solely by other food scientists.
Key Takeaways
- 1. Impact Factor 22.0 (Q1) reflects strong interdisciplinary citation appeal
- 2. CiteScore 28.5 demonstrates growing 4-year citation accumulation
- 3. SJR 5.8 indicates recognition from well-regarded citing journals
- 4. Young journal (2020) showing rapid h-index growth to 52
What is the Nature Food Impact Factor 2025?
It is 22.0 according to JCR 2025.
Is Nature Food a Q1 journal?
Yes, it holds a Q1 ranking in Food Science & Technology.
When was Nature Food launched?
The journal began publishing in 2020.
What topics are covered?
The journal spans sustainable agriculture, food systems, nutrition science, food policy, and the environmental impacts of food production and consumption.
Who is the publisher?
Springer Nature publishes the journal.
COMPETITIVE POSITIONStanding in Food Science Publishing
The food science journal landscape is diverse, ranging from highly specialized titles focusing on food chemistry, microbiology, or processing technology to broader publications addressing nutrition and public health. Nature Food occupies a distinctive niche by integrating these traditional domains with sustainability science and systems thinking. The Impact Factor of 22.0 places it among the leading titles in the JCR Food Science & Technology category, a notable achievement for a journal that has been publishing for only about five years.
The relatively modest h-index of 52 compared to the other Nature titles in this batch is entirely expected given the journal’s youth. As the publication backlog grows and more articles complete their citation maturation cycle, this metric will increase substantially. The CiteScore of 28.5 already provides a preview of this trajectory, capturing citations across a longer window than the standard Impact Factor calculation.