Abstract
This study is a systematic review of the trends and research findings in the field of Sustainable Ethnic Foods (SEF), an area, in which current research is not unified and is mainly location-related. It aims is to provide a full bibliometric summary that clarifies the main themes, contributors and trends worldwide, while also identifying research gaps and prospective future directions. The Web of Science (WOS) database (2014 – 2025) analysis results were taken (1,797 publications analyzed using the Bibliometrix R package (version 4.4.3) through the Biblioshiny interface) and filtered using the Preferred Reporting Items to Systematic Reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) framework. The data include 645 journals and 7,301 authors, indicating high levels of international collaboration. The findings show that there has been highly focused attention on obesity, diet, nutrition, ethnicity and food insecurity, which means that the research conducted by SEF has covered health outcomes and social equity extensively. New patterns include mental health, racism, climate change, tourism and heritage, which confirm a growing socio-environmental and structural orientation that connects ethnic food systems to shifts in sustainability, resilience and community health. These results are of great importance to academics, policymakers and practitioners as they have identified current research terrains, thus permitting the formulation of culturally inclusive and sustainable food policies and food industry practices. This paper is one of the first attempts to conduct a systematic literature review of SEF. It provides a multidisciplinary view, reveals the gaps in research and provides future research and innovation directions.
Keywords: Bibliometric Analysis, Ethnicity, Food Insecurity, Nutrition, Sustainable Ethnic Foods.