Center for Research on Ingredient Safety

Keeping our research processes transparent is imperative to maintaining integrity. Below we outline the general process we use to complete CRIS related research.

Step One: Community submits research & communication ideas

The community is invited to submit blog post topics for the CRIS team to review at go.msu.edu/cris-idea.

To propose an in-depth communication or research topic for CRIS to undertake, please review the template information: Proposing Communication and Research Topics for CRIS.

CRIS partners are invited to submit research and communication topics to Director Kaminski for consideration of the Emerging Issues Committee and CRIS core team. 

Once submitted, the ideas are forwarded to the EIC for evaluation. 

Step Two: Decide on a course of action

The Emerging Issues Committee uses an operating framework, agreed-upon research principles, and a defined committee processes to evaluate and ensure research and communication topics

• fits within the scope of CRIS research.
• is of interest to an academic researcher.
• impacts numerous food, cosmetic, or house-hold products.
• impacts safety regulation.
• provides significant value to the greater community.
• and more. 

Review the full process including principles and requirements. 

Then, the core CRIS team, taking into consideration the input from the EIC and EAC, decides if the ingredient or technology should be a candidate for in-depth research or a communication message. If a communication message is approved, the topic is moved to the communication team for further development and distribution to the greater community. If a research topic is approved, it moves to the next step. 

Step Three: Establish a principal investigator & develop the project

Typically, an academic researcher is identified to take the lead on the project as the principle investigator (PI).

The PI develops the research design, conducts the research, and administers the project while ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies.

Step Four: Secure funding

Conducting research can be expensive and depending on the scope of the project will require funding from different avenues including federal agencies, state agencies, industry, associations, university, and/or foundations. The CRIS team and the PI work together to secure appropriate funding for the research project.

The funding process complies with Michigan State University’s standards. You can learn more about research funding at https://vp.research.msu.edu/.

Step Five: Perform research & report on outcomes

The PI performs the research independently and provides generic milestone updates to CRIS Partners (e.g., Phase 1 of the research project is completed, now moving unto Phase 2). 

After the research is completed, the PI will interpret the results, summarize the work that includes methodology and outcomes, provide and interpretation of the findings and then submit this information to an academic journal for peer review and eventual publication.

No results or outcomes are shared until after publication or presentation at a scientific meeting.

Step Six: Sharing results & community engagement

After the paper has been accepted into a peer-reviewed journal and/or accepted for presentation at a scientific conference, the CRIS team will begin to develop communication tactics to share information with the CRIS Partners and the greater community.

Once the paper has been published and/or presented at a scientific meeting, communication around the outcomes is shared with CRIS Partners and the global community.