A bibliometric analysis of research trends on the microbiological safety of low-moisture foods

Research has shown that some pathogens, including Salmonella and other spore-formers, survive and remain viable in low-moisture foods (LMF). This review highlighted trends in publication and outlook of the research field, using articles published in Scopus between 2001 to 2020. Systematic article retrieval, data analysis, and trend visualization were conducted using Scopus analytical tools, Excel software, and VOSviewer, respectively. A total of 267 articles were published on the microbial safety of LMF, with a rapid rise in the number of publications per year. The U.S. has the highest research output (143 publications), followed by China (35 publications). Washington State University Pullman, USA, has the highest number of publications from a single institution, while Professor Juming Tang is the author with the highest number of publications. Evaluation of trends in LMF research highlighted an initial focus on the detection of possible microbial contaminants in the foods and exploring the relationship between water activity and microbial survival. Salmonella was identified as the leading cause of foodborne diseases associated with the consumption of LMF. Newer research is focusing on the molecular characterization of microbial contaminants of LMF and approaches to eliminate these pathogens and spoilage agents from LMF. In recent years, the trend has shifted towards the use of novel technologies for microbial and toxin inactivation to mitigate and minimize the risks due to the presence of these microbial agents and their metabolites in LMF.