Food traceability: a term map analysis basic review

The aim of this work is to realize a term map analysis on technological advancements, in the year and in the world, of scientific researches of food traceability. Quality protection needs efficient instruments to discriminate Protected Denomination of Origin and Protected Geographical Indication varieties in field and to trace them along the agri-food chain. This study attempts to analyze global scientific of food traceability researches (between 1999 and 2018). In this period, 2534 scientific publications by Scopus database were found. Publication trends, research topics and their geographical distribution were analyzed by science mapping (VOSviewer software). Term map evidenced four main groups: red cluster with terms about food product and analytical methods for the characterization of food; green cluster including terms related with consumer (e.g., “food safety” and “food packaging”); blue cluster associating terms with the technology for traceability and yellow cluster with identification of food by genetic marker. It is possible to observe many links (i.e., co-occurrence between terms) in the green and blue clusters and among them. The yellow cluster could be considered as a subcategory of red one. In addition, green cluster refers to consumer and food safety. Yellow and red clusters contain analytical methods to identify food product, while blue cluster refers to advancements technological transferring information about the product to the consumer. These clusters do not present many linkages, and the consumer is in-between these. Finally, this study contributes to a better knowing of food traceability, and to an enhanced scientific research of technological advancements in supply chain.