The growing interest in functional foods has driven research into protein hydrolysates produced by enzymatic hydrolysis, especially from agro-industrial by-products. These compounds stand out for their antioxidant, antihypertensive, and other bioactive properties,
which are relevant to the food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. In this context, a bibliometric analysis of 1498 articles indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) database (2015–2025, collected up to June) was conducted to map the evolution of knowledge, identify
consolidated and emerging thematic lines, and recognize the most influential actors in the field. The methodology combined an advanced search strategy with Biblioshiny (RStudio) and VOSviewer to generate co-occurrence maps, collaboration networks, and
citation analyses. The results show sustained growth since 2018, with a predominance of research on functional properties, bioactive peptides, and antioxidant activity, along with a growing interest in sustainability, process optimization, and in silico methodologies.
Six thematic clusters were identified, encompassing process optimization, biofunctional validation, circular economy, and non-conventional protein sources. The study concludes that the field demonstrates significant thematic maturity, with opportunities for innovation,
particularly in functional validation and the integrated use of by-products through sustainable enzymatic technologies.