γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an important non-protein amino acid, participates in multiple physiological processes including neural regulation, blood pressure modulation and substance metabolism in organisms, and its health-promoting values are continuously being validated. Studies have demonstrated that lactic acid bacteria serve as a major source of GABA during food fermentation, and glutamate decarboxylase acts as the key enzyme governing GABA biosynthesis. GABA exerts beneficial effects in the intervention of neurological, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Current research in this field features multidisciplinary intersections. In the future, synthetic biology and precision nutrition technologies can be integrated to advance the application of GABA in functional foods. Using bibliometrics, this paper reviewed domestic and international research progress on GABA in fermented foods from 2016 to 2025, and summarized research findings concerning its sources, metabolism, bioactivities and applications. It aimed to provide theoretical references for screening GABA-producing microorganisms from fermented foods and facilitate the development of GABA-enriched functional foods.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |