Current trends and knowledge mapping on functional foods: bibliometric analysis and review

The growing interest in the research and development of functional foods is driven by their potential to prevent diseases and promote health, with particular emphasis on their bioactive properties and applications in the food industry. Nevertheless, the dispersion of knowledge and the lack of systematic organization of findings limit the effective exploitation of these advancements. To address this gap, the present review performs a bibliometric analysis of 7116 scientific publications indexed in the Scopus database between 2020 and 2025, with the aim of identifying key research trends and mapping significant progress in the field of functional foods. The results underscore the increasing attention to their anticancer, antidiabetic, antitumor, and antioxidant properties, as well as the promising role of bioactive compounds, probiotics, and their nutritional benefits. Furthermore, the review highlights innovative functional products and ingredients, including cookies, chocolates, yogurt, cheeses, gelatin, algae, edible flowers, dietary fibers, 3D-printed foods, and a wide range of plant-based ingredients such as fruits and legumes. Taken together, these findings provide a foundation for future research and contribute to a deeper understanding of the potential of functional foods to promote health, as well as their development prospects in the food industry. Systematic Review Registration https://www.scopus.com/pages/home#basic .