A bibliometric analysis: what do we know about edible coatings?

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Materials Science
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• Synthetic food packaging presents significant health and environmental concerns.
• There is a growing demand for sustainable and food-safe packaging solutions.
• Edible coatings offer a promising alternative, providing barrier properties to food surfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a bibliometric network analysis of edible packaging and coating research.
• To identify key research trends, innovations, and applications in edible food coatings.
• To summarize the current state and future directions of edible coating technology.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric network analysis of 2131 studies published between 2016 and 2023.
• Data extraction from article titles, abstracts, and keywords using "edible packaging", "coating", and "food" as search terms.
• VOSviewer software was utilized for network analysis and visualization.

Main Results:

• China emerged as the leading country in edible coating research, followed by India.
• The analysis identified specific food types and application methods for edible coatings.
• Research trends indicate a significant increase in edible coating studies within the specified period.

Conclusions:

• Bibliometric analysis provides a clear overview of the edible coating research landscape.
• Edible coatings represent a rapidly advancing field with substantial innovation potential.
• Understanding global research trends is crucial for advancing sustainable food packaging solutions.