From farm to table: The statuses, hotspots, and trends on research of HACCP application in global food supply chains (1990–2025)—A bibliometric analysis based on CiteSpace

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is the globally recognized preventive framework for food safety management. Its application across supply chains has undergone significant evolution, driven by expanding business and regulatory demands. Despite extensive research, the synthesis on thematic trajectories, collaborative networks, and technological frontiers remains insufficient. This study employs a bibliometric analysis of 900 HACCP-related articles from the Web of Science (1990–2025) using CiteSpace to create a comprehensive knowledge graph. The main findings reveal that: (1) The publication volume exhibits distinct phasic trends, spanning diverse disciplines, including agriculture, medicine, environmental science, engineering, and biology. (2) Strongly integrated collaborations or stable innovative teams remain scarce, furthermore, manuscript outputs from developing regions require further enhancement. (3) The notable hotspots converge around four themes—standard system construction, precision hazard control, intelligent process optimization, and holistic risk governance. Building on these insights, future investigations will emphasize four critical directions: technology-driven inclusive innovation, sustainability-centric system integration, participatory trust building and transboundary regulatory synergy. This study provides a valuable reference for researchers seeking to advance safety governance and risk management.