Bibliometric Analysis of the Scientific Research of Food Industry By-Products in the Period 1976–2021

Abstract

The combined necessity for sustainable production, a decrease in the human impact on the environment, the European Union striving to be climate neutral, and the pressure on the food industry to introduce sustainable technologies and products and reduce emissions into the environment to the minimum has led to perceiving food industry by-products (FIB) as valuable raw materials rather than waste. This has driven a constant increase in scientific research regarding the use of FIB. The aim of this research was to establish focal points and directions of the scientific research regarding FIB. Descriptive bibliography and visualization using software CiteSpace II were used to analyze research published in journals indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection and determine and explain development trends. The results showed a constant growth of the scientific interest for FIB, which intensified since 2015. Research is being conducted worldwide, with Spain (13%) and Italy (11%) as leading countries. The results are published in journals with high impact factors and quartiles, using references published in the same rank.