Research Trends in Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Bioactive Compounds: A 30-Year Bibliometric Study from 1995 to 2025

Abstract

The extraction of bioactive compounds using supercritical fluids has attracted increasing scientific attention as a sustainable alternative to conventional extraction methods. This study presents a bibliometric analysis aimed at providing an overview of the scientific development, collaboration patterns, and thematic trends in this research field. Bibliographic data were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database for the period 1995–2025, resulting in a dataset of 2159 publications. The records were analyzed using the Bibliometrix package in R and complementary Web of Science tools to evaluate scientific productivity, leading contributors, collaboration patterns, keyword analysis (frequency and co-occurrence), thematic evolution, citation topics, and alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The results reveal sustained growth in scientific production, particularly during the last decade, reflecting the increasing interest in environmentally friendly extraction technologies and the growing demand for natural bioactive compounds. Brazil emerged as the leading contributor, followed by China and Spain. Collaboration patterns indicate the presence of international research partnerships among the most productive countries. Keyword analysis highlights antioxidant activity and polyphenols as the most frequent research topics. Thematic analysis reveals a progressive shift from compound characterization to process optimization and application-oriented research, with increasing emphasis on extraction performance, assisted extraction technologies, and the valorization of agro-industrial by-products as alternative sources of bioactive compounds. These findings provide a comprehensive overview of the evolution and main research directions in this field.