A systematic review of recent advances in ultrasound-assisted food processing: Applications, hybrid technologies, and sustainability
- 1Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, P.M.B. 2076, Adamawa State, Nigeria
- 2Discipline of Agricultural Engineering, School of Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Pietermaritzburg, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa
- 3Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Ilorin, P.M.B. 1515, Kwara State, Nigeria
Abstract
Ultrasound-assisted food processing has become a feasible non-thermal technology that can improve the processing efficiency, quality and sustainability of food systems in the contemporary food industry. This study presents a systematic and bibliometric review of the literature published from 2015–2025, which will help trace the intellectual framework, development of research, and future trends in the application of ultrasound in food processing. Bibliometric searches were performed using established science-mapping tools to assess publication growth, impactful journals, top countries, institutions, authors, and collaboration networks, supported by co-occurrence analysis of keywords, thematic mapping, and trend topic searches. The findings demonstrate that research output is rapidly growing, with significant international collaboration, mainly driven by China and facilitated by Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The main areas of core research are ultrasound-assisted extraction, drying kinetics, mass transfer enhancement, and quality preservation based on cavitation mechanisms. The application of ultrasound in food processing operations, including cleaning, cutting, drying, cooking, pasteurisation, thawing, cooling, homogenization, tenderization, freezing, and crystallization, was discussed. Recent studies focus more on functional properties, bioactive compounds and hybrid processing methods that combine ultrasound with other emerging technologies. Despite methodological maturity, there are still problems in scalability, standardisation, energy measurements, and safety verification. Thus, this review shows that ultrasound-assisted food processing is moving beyond exploratory investigation toward integrated, application-oriented research, providing a stronger evidence base to support future technological advancement, industrial implementation, and sustainable innovation in food processing systems.
Related
- Emerging Processing Technologies for Modulating Allergenic Proteins in Legumes and Gluten-Containing Cereals: A Systematic Review
- Advanced Flooring Technologies for Industrial and Commercial Buildings: A Critical Review of Materials, Performance, Durability, Design and Sustainability
- Sustainable signal-processing spectrophotometric approaches for synchronous analysis of novel antiallergic combination: evaluation via multi-metric sustainability indices
- Harnessing polymeric materials for applications in electric vehicle with sustainability contributions and prospects
- Chitosan-Based Technologies in the Food Industry: Functional Properties, Advanced Applications, and Future Perspectives
BibTeX
@article{hussein2026systematic,
title = {{A systematic review of recent advances in ultrasound-assisted food processing: Applications, hybrid technologies, and sustainability}},
author = {Jelili Babatunde Hussein and Tilahun Seyoum Workneh and Mayowa Saheed Sanusi and Sodiq Oladimeji Alasi},
journal = {Applied Food Research},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.1016/j.afres.2026.102132},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2026.102132},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A systematic review of recent advances in ultrasound-assisted food processing: Applications, hybrid technologies, and sustainability
AU - Jelili Babatunde Hussein
AU - Tilahun Seyoum Workneh
AU - Mayowa Saheed Sanusi
AU - Sodiq Oladimeji Alasi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/14
JO - Applied Food Research
DO - 10.1016/j.afres.2026.102132
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2026.102132
AB - Ultrasound-assisted food processing has become a feasible non-thermal technology that can improve the processing efficiency, quality and sustainability of food systems in the contemporary food industry. This study presents a systematic and bibliometric review of the literature published from 2015–2025, which will help trace the intellectual framework, development of research, and future trends in the application of ultrasound in food processing. Bibliometric searches were performed using established science-mapping tools to assess publication growth, impactful journals, top countries, institutions, authors, and collaboration networks, supported by co-occurrence analysis of keywords, thematic mapping, and trend topic searches. The findings demonstrate that research output is rapidly growing, with significant international collaboration, mainly driven by China and facilitated by Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The main areas of core research are ultrasound-assisted extraction, drying kinetics, mass transfer enhancement, and quality preservation based on cavitation mechanisms. The application of ultrasound in food processing operations, including cleaning, cutting, drying, cooking, pasteurisation, thawing, cooling, homogenization, tenderization, freezing, and crystallization, was discussed. Recent studies focus more on functional properties, bioactive compounds and hybrid processing methods that combine ultrasound with other emerging technologies. Despite methodological maturity, there are still problems in scalability, standardisation, energy measurements, and safety verification. Thus, this review shows that ultrasound-assisted food processing is moving beyond exploratory investigation toward integrated, application-oriented research, providing a stronger evidence base to support future technological advancement, industrial implementation, and sustainable innovation in food processing systems.
SN - 2772-5022
ER -