Towards Understanding the Food Consumer Behavior–Food Safety–Sustainability Triangle: A Bibliometric Approach

Abstract

Academic research on food consumer behavior related to food safety has developed extremely rapidly in the last decades, and a sizable amount of knowledge has been accumulated in this interdisciplinary field. This information set, as big data, lends itself to bibliometric analysis. Based on the Web of Science database and on a statistical analysis of more than 26.6 thousand articles containing more than 3.4 million bibliometric pieces of information, the current article offers a systematic analysis of these statistical data. The dynamics of relevant publications show an exponential character. The field is dominated by researchers from welfare states; however, food safety is a more important problem in developing states. There are dynamic changes in the portfolio of journals, but Bradford’s law cannot be proven. The explanatory power of Lotka’s law has been decreasing, proving the de-concentration of relevant authors. Besides traditional disciplines like consumer science, food chemistry, microbiology, and technology, new disciplines, e.g., sociology, cultural anthropology, postmodern techniques, and the real-life study of consumer behavior, going beyond the application of traditional techniques, are gaining importance. There are three key challenges for further research: (1) contribution to a deeper understanding of inherent laws governing the food-consumer-environment system; (2) quantification of results for decision-makers to enhance the efficiency of policy preparation; (3) widening the scope of research in geographical terms, better involving the developing world, and in sociological terms, focusing on the specific needs of vulnerable groups.

The Top 100 Most Cited Scientific Papers in the Public, Environmental & Occupational Health Category of Web of Science: A Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis

“…Although there have been bibliometric analyses of articles in the field of food safety [ 11 , 12 ]; environmental health [ 13 , 14 ]; health promotion [ 15 , 16 ]; health education [ 17 ]; mental health [ 18 , 19 ]; sport health [ 20 ]; and occupational health [ 21 , 22 ], the entire category of Public, Environmental & Occupational Health has never been studied worldwide.…”

Sustainable Market Environment and Consumer Confidence in Food Safety in China After COVID-19: Urban Consumer Perspectives

“…Nanjing is the most developed city in China; per capita disposable incomes in urban households reached 159,082 and 125,500 CNY, respectively. Among the urban citizens with comparatively large income standards in this region are many consumers of imported infant formulas (Lakner et al, 2021). After the melamine-adulterated infant formula event occurred in the Shijiazhuang area of Hebei province in 2008, consumer confidence in the nearby cities fell dramatically, which shows that consumers living in cities are the most appropriate citizens to survey at the crucial time.…”

Determinants of Polish young adults' attitudes toward food safety

“…Food safety, through its direct health effects, is the most important characteristic of food quality (Lakner et al, 2021). The requirements of the law imply that the food offered in the market should be safe.…”

“…Food safety, through its direct health effects, is the most important characteristic of food quality (Lakner et al. , 2021).…”