Table 1_Current trends and knowledge mapping on functional foods: bibliometric analysis and review.xlsx

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 Registrationhttps://www.scopus.com/pages/home#basic.

功能性食品（functional foods）研发领域的研究热度持续攀升，其核心驱动力在于该类食品在疾病预防与健康促进方面的潜力，学界尤其关注其生物活性特性（bioactive properties）及在食品工业中的应用场景。然而，现有研究知识的分散性与成果缺乏系统化梳理，制约了这些研究进展的有效转化与利用。
为填补这一研究空白，本综述针对2020年至2025年间收录于斯高帕斯数据库（Scopus）的7116篇科学文献开展文献计量分析（bibliometric analysis），旨在厘清功能性食品领域的核心研究趋势，并梳理该领域的重要研究进展。
研究结果凸显了学界对功能性食品抗癌、抗糖尿病、抗肿瘤及抗氧化特性的关注度持续攀升，同时也证实了生物活性成分（bioactive compounds）、益生菌（probiotics）及其营养益处所展现出的良好应用前景。此外，本综述还梳理了多款创新性功能性食品及原料，涵盖曲奇、巧克力、酸奶、奶酪、明胶、藻类、可食用花卉、膳食纤维、3D打印食品（3D-printed foods），以及水果、豆类等多类植物基原料（plant-based ingredients）。
综上，本研究成果为后续相关研究奠定了基础，有助于更深入地认识功能性食品在健康促进方面的潜力，以及其在食品工业中的发展前景。
系统综述注册：https://www.scopus.com/pages/home#basic.