People are becoming more alert towards the food products they consume and also the ingredients used in those products. Food antioxidants are the natural or artificial preservative that protects the food substances from oxidative degradation and according to research conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) showed that antioxidant supplements prevent diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Some of the key applications that are influencing the growth of the global food antioxidant market include maintaining the quality of nutrients, increasing the shelf life, enhancing flavor, texture, taste, and odor. For instance, propyl gallate has been used as an antioxidant in foods to protect fats, oils, and fat-containing food from lipid rancidity. Similarly, dietary peptidic antioxidants such as protein hydrolysates derived from sources like milk, soy, egg, and fish are currently acquiring attention globally due to their wide health benefits and applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. Likewise, there has been a trend growing preference for natural antioxidants over synthetic antioxidants. For instance, β-carotene can be used either as an additive and coloring agent or as a nutrient to provide vitamin A. Additionally, the plant-based antioxidants are more effective towards improving the shelf life of food products and health benefits hence, researchers are investigating the various extraction technologies and processing for plant extracts that will be used as antioxidant preservatives for food industries which are potential opportunities for the growth of the market in the upcoming years.
The global food antioxidant market is segmented into type, sources, application, end-user, and region. Based on type, the global market is split into natural and synthetic. Based on the source, the market is categorized into gallic acid, botanical extracts, spices & herbs, oils, and fruits & vegetables. The application segment comprises seafood, bakery & confectionery, beverages, packaged foods, fats & oils, and others.
North America is dominating the market due to substantial acceptance of processed & ready-made foods, increased health awareness among the people, and government policy to urge people to add antioxidant & diet rich food as result U.S. and Canada have been accelerating the demand of the market. Europe is the second dominating market as there is significant demand for natural food additives and rising consumer’s interest in natural ingredients products. Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness rapid market growth during the forecast period due to the rising prevalence of meat and meat products in the region as result there has been a high demand for preservatives to inhibit the oxidation process.
The major players in the market are Naturex S.A., Cargill Incorporated, Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, Barentz International BV, Kalsec Inc., BASF SE, E.I.DuPont El Nemours and Company, Kemin Industries, Inc., Koninklijke DSM N.V., Nutreco N.V., and Aland (Jiangsu) Nutraceutical Co. Ltd.
In March 2021, Kalsec launched food protection blends that combine natural antioxidants such as acerola extracts and rosemary with natural antimicrobials to enhance food safety and shelf life in a wide range of applications.
