Microbial interventions for aflatoxin control in food systems: a 25-year global bibliometric analysis (2000–2024) with implications for food security and smart agriculture

Food security remains a global challenge, with over 720 million people experiencing hunger and billions relying on unsafe or nutritionally inadequate diets. Aflatoxin contamination intensifies this problem by reducing the quality and safety of food supplies. Aflatoxins (AFs), toxic and carcinogenic metabolites mainly produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, pose serious food safety and public health concerns, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Their exceptional thermal and chemical stability makes conventional measures such as fungicides, sorting, or heat treatment largely ineffective, costly, and unsuitable for smallholder farmers due to environmental and health risks. Microbial approaches, including atoxigenic Aspergillus. flavus strains, lactic acid bacteria, and yeasts have emerged as sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives that align with smart agriculture. This bibliometric study examined global research trends on microbial aflatoxin control between 2000 and 2024, using data retrieved from the Web of Science and analyzed with RStudio and Biblioshiny. A total of 550 publications were reviewed, showing an annual growth rate of 11.16%, peaking in 2019 with 56 papers. Single-author works comprised 11% of the total, with an average of 5.7 co-authors per paper. Sole-authored publications accounted for 4.57%, while international collaborations contributed nearly 30% of outputs. Analysis of networks among authors, institutions, and countries revealed strong and growing global partnerships. The steady rise in research underscores increasing recognition of microbial biocontrol as an effective and sustainable approach to aflatoxin management. These findings highlight its significance for ensuring food safety, strengthening food security, and advancing smart agricultural practices.