A recent bibliometric study published in *Food Science of Animal Resources* highlights the significant evolution of research regarding wild boar meat. The study analyzed 423 scientific articles indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection, tracing over sixty years of research on the meat quality of *Sus scrofa*, the wild ancestor of domestic pigs.
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Led by Le Pham Tan Quoc from the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City, in collaboration with researchers in Vietnam and Hungary, the team utilized RStudio for analysis and VOSviewer for network visualization. Their search focused on terms related to wild boar meat quality, retaining 423 original articles for review. The analysis revealed key insights into publication growth, influential contributors, collaboration patterns, and emerging research trends.
The findings illustrate a shift in the field's focus, beginning with sporadic publications since 1959, primarily within wildlife studies. Interest in wild boar meat surged from the mid-1990s, reflecting a growing demand for alternative protein sources. By 2003, publication numbers reached 18 papers in one year as methods for analyzing fatty acid composition advanced and consumer interest in game meat rose.
From 2006 to 2014, research became more robust, particularly examining the nutritional profile and fatty acid content of wild boar meat compared to conventional pork. The rising populations of wild boars in Europe also spurred research, driven by wildlife management needs. Between 2015 and 2024, studies expanded to include sensory evaluations and food safety aspects.
Overall, wild boar meat shows lower fat content, firmer muscle, and higher protein levels than intensively farmed pigs, with a fatty acid profile rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids influenced by natural diets. Quality assessments consider parameters such as pH, color, and tenderness, which are affected by sex, age, and ecological conditions.
The research identified prominent contributors, with Geldermann H leading with 21 publications, followed closely by Bartenschlager H and Moser G. While China produced the most publications, reflecting its strong domestic research capacity, Germany followed, notably with more international collaborations. The research landscape is heavily influenced by ongoing genetic improvement initiatives in Europe and significant investment in agricultural sciences in China.
The study's thematic mapping indicates an intellectual evolution over time, with early focus on intramuscular fat and carcass traits transitioning to genomic characterization and the identification of candidate genes in recent years.
The authors conclude that the research has advanced from examining basic carcass traits to applying genomic techniques in nutritional assessments, emphasizing the role of wild game meat as a sustainable protein source. They suggest future studies should foster interdisciplinary collaboration and utilize multi-omics approaches to further explore the health implications of wild boar meat.