Curcumin in Food Technology: Trends, Challenges, and Innovative Perspectives Through Bibliometrics

Curcumin is a promising bioactive compound for functional foods, but its application remains limited by low solubility, poor oral bioavailability, and restricted stability in food systems. This study aimed to map the evolution of curcumin research and to identify the main technological strategies being developed to improve its use in food applications. A bibliometric analysis of Web of Science Core Collection records was combined with a focused review of food-oriented delivery and formulation approaches. The results showed marked growth in scientific output, strong international collaboration, and a clear shift from pharmacological research toward technologies designed to improve stability, dispersibility, and bioaccessibility. Across both the main dataset and the focused bioavailability subset, nanotechnology, encapsulation, and delivery-system design emerged as dominant themes, confirming that bioavailability is a central bottleneck guiding current research. However, the available evidence remains heterogeneous across in vitro, animal, human, and food-matrix studies. Overall, curcumin remains a promising functional ingredient, but its broader industrial application will depend on scalable technologies, validation in real food matrices, and clearer regulatory pathways.