Food technology innovations rooted in local wisdom: a bibliometric analysis of global research trends and future directions

Local wisdom-informed food technology innovation is increasingly attracting global scholarly attention as a viable strategy for addressing food security, sustainability, and public health challenges. This investigation examines prevailing research trajectories pertinent to applying traditional knowledge in food innovation through a bibliometric analysis framework. Following PRISMA 2020, we identified, screened, and included records under predefined criteria to ensure rigor and transparency. A total of 158 scholarly documents (coverage: 2014–2024; search conducted through 31 December 2024) were scrutinized utilizing the Scopus database. The articles selected pertained to local wisdom-informed food technology innovation and were published in English in peer-reviewed academic journals. The bibliometric analysis employed VOSviewer and Bibliometrix (R-package) to delineate publication trends, keyword prevalence, and international collaborative efforts within this domain. The analysis revealed a notable escalation in publication volume, with the United States, Italy, and India leading the output (19 documents each), followed by Indonesia (15), Canada (14), and China (13). Predominant themes encompassed “traditional knowledge,” “ethnobotany,” “food security,” and “nutrition.” Beyond mapping, we articulate a practical translation perspective for local-wisdom technologies, emphasizing documentation, standardization, validation, and scale-up, to bridge discovery and application. However, a discernible research gap persists concerning the integration and validation of advanced technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, nanotechnology) and the commercialization and equitable governance (e.g. benefit-sharing, traceability) of local food innovations. Findings should be interpreted in light of Scopus-only and English-language inclusion, which may under-represent non-English local scholarship.