Consumer awareness is one of the major drivers of the food safety testing market across the world. The COVID-19 outbreak positively impacted the market as consumers and governments are focused on the safety and hygiene of products meant for consumption. All food & beverages sectors face challenges amid the outbreak as the SARS-CoV-2 is highly infectious and could possibly travel through food surfaces. Meat and poultry processing facilities faced distinctive challenges with respect to virus transmission as workers in several facilities across the world were infected. For instance, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services reported in July 2020 that 239 facilities in 23 states fell subject to COVID-19 infection. The total reported cases were 16,233, with 86 related deaths. Moreover, in November 2020, China reported that a frozen pork knuckle sample imported in China had triggered a new COVID-19 case in the country. Such cases of COVID-19 infections in the food industry have created apprehensions among consumers and governments, which propelled the demand for food safety testing to mitigate health risks.
Foodborne illnesses are toxic or infectious. They can be caused by the chemical substances, parasites, viruses entering the body through contaminated water or food. Foodborne pathogens can cause debilitating infections, such as meningitis or severe diarrhea. In some cases chemical contamination can cause long-term diseases, such as cancer, or short-term illness, such as acute poisoning. A few examples of unsafe food are raw shellfish containing marine biotoxins, vegetables and fruits contaminated with feces, and uncooked foods of animal origin. E. Coli, campylobacter, and salmonella are among the most common foodborne pathogens that affect millions of people worldwide annually and result in fatal or severe outcomes. A few symptoms of foodborne illnesses are diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, headache, and fever. Moreover, listeria infection leads to death of newborn babies or miscarriages in pregnant women. Although the chances of this disease are relatively low, the fatality of listeria makes it one of the most serious foodborne infections. Vibrio cholera infects people through contaminated food or water. Its symptoms may include severe dehydration, profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and could possibly result in death. Various types of seafood, millet gruel, vegetables, and rice have been implicated in cholera outbreaks. Therefore, the demand for food safety testing is increasing to prevent the incidence of foodborne illnesses.
Based on contaminant, the food safety testing market is segmented into pathogens, pesticides, toxins, GMOs, and others. The pathogens segment accounted for the largest market share in 2020, and the GMOs segment is expected to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period. Pathogen testing is done to eliminate or reduce the incidence of foodborne illnesses. The elimination is considered so essential that the testing process is implemented in the very step of food production to ensure food safety and sanitation. A few most common pathogens that can cause foodborne illnesses are E. coli, listeria, and salmonella. Pathogen testing can be done using traditional techniques or newer ones. The traditional techniques use conventional cell culture standards, whereas the newer techniques include laser-based or spectrometric diagnostics. Since pathogens are one of the most common reasons for foodborne illnesses, the pathogen segment holds the largest market share in the food safety testing market. Also, the market for this segment is expected to grow during the forecast period due to the growth of the food & beverages industry.
Based on technology, the food safety testing market is bifurcated into traditional and rapid. The rapid segment accounted for a larger market share in 2020, and the same segment is expected to register a higher CAGR in the market during the forecast period. Major market players are introducing innovative products in the rapid testing owing to the high demand for the service. For instance, in 2009, bioMérieux, Inc. introduced TEMPO, an automated system for the enumeration of microorganisms in food. The automated system eliminates the tedious manual steps involved in most probable number (MPN) method using a miniature card. Therefore, the automated test offers simple traceability and high throughput, and it is also a cost-effective alternative to manual testing. Moreover, the company has also introduced recombinant bacteriophage technology that is used for food-borne pathogen detection, which has reduced the time to grow bacteria at a detectable level. Such rapid tests prove to be useful in terms of cost saving for food manufacturers as the waiting period for batches in inventory is significantly reduced. Thus, the multiple benefits of rapid testing is expected to fuel the market growth for this segment during the forecast period.
Based on food type, the food safety testing market is segmented into meat, poultry, and seafood products; dairy products; cereals and grains; processed food; fruits and vegetables; and others. The meat, poultry, and seafood products segment accounted for the largest market share in 2020, and the fruits and vegetables segment is expected to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period. The meat, poultry, and seafood products testing includes testing for contaminants as well as for food adulteration wherein one meat type is adulterated with other meat types. The products may be tested for ash, fat, moisture, protein/nitrogen, heavy metals, pesticides, antibiotics and drugs, salt, chloride, and nitrates and nitrites. Meat products are most likely to get contaminated or defected considering the shelf life and nature of these products. Therefore, the testing for these products is mandatory in all countries. The market for this segment is expected to grow due to the rising consumption of meat, poultry, and seafood products across the world.
A few players operating in the food safety testing market are SGS SA, Eurofins Scientific, Intertek Group Plc, TÜV SÜD, AES Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., TÜV NORD GROUP., Bureau Veritas, ALS Limited, NEOGEN Corporation, and AsureQuality. These companies provide a wide range of product portfolio for the market. The companies have their presence in the developing regions, which provides lucrative opportunities for the food safety testing market growth. The market players are developing high-quality and innovative products to fulfil the customer’s requirements.
The regional trends and factors influencing the Food Safety Testing Market throughout the forecast period have been thoroughly explained by the analysts at Insight Partners. This section also discusses Food Safety Testing Market segments and geography across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and South and Central America.
| Report Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Market size in 2021 | US$ 20.73 Billion |
| Market Size by 2028 | US$ 34.14 Billion |
| Global CAGR (2021 - 2028) | 7.4% |
| Historical Data | 2019-2020 |
| Forecast period | 2022-2028 |
| Segments Covered |
By Contaminant
|
| Regions and Countries Covered | North America
|
| Market leaders and key company profiles |
The Food Safety Testing Market market is growing rapidly, driven by increasing end-user demand due to factors such as evolving consumer preferences, technological advancements, and greater awareness of the product's benefits. As demand rises, businesses are expanding their offerings, innovating to meet consumer needs, and capitalizing on emerging trends, which further fuels market growth.
Market players density refers to the distribution of firms or companies operating within a particular market or industry. It indicates how many competitors (market players) are present in a given market space relative to its size or total market value.
Major Companies operating in the Food Safety Testing Market are:
Disclaimer: The companies listed above are not ranked in any particular order.
Based on technology, the food safety testing market is bifurcated into traditional and rapid. The rapid segment accounted for a larger market share in 2020. Rapid tests prove to be useful in terms of cost saving for food manufacturers as the waiting period for batches in inventory is significantly reduced. Thus, the multiple benefits of rapid testing is expected to fuel the market growth for this segment during the forecast period.
In 2020, China held the largest market share in the global food safety testing market. China is the most populated country in the world and is a major hub for food and beverages industry. The country annually imports and exports large quantities of food products to different parts of the world. As per data published by the International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, the food and beverage sector of China reached US$ 595 billion in 2019 in terms of consumption. Moreover, considering the aggressive development of China and rising middle class population with high disposable income, numerous food brands are attempting to enter the market in the country. Therefore, the food trade as well as consumption in the country is growing at a high pace resulting in positive impact for food safety testing, as testing in the country is becoming increasingly stringent for food processing.
The pathogens segment accounted for the largest market share in 2020. Since pathogens are one of the most common reasons for foodborne illnesses, the pathogen segment holds the largest market share in the food safety testing market. Also, the market for this segment is expected to grow at a high pace during the forecast period due to the growth of the food & beverages industry.
The major players operating in the global food safety testing market are SGS SA, Eurofins Scientific, Intertek Group Plc, TÃœV SÃœD, AES Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., TÃœV NORD GROUP., Bureau Veritas, ALS Limited, NEOGEN Corporation, and AsureQuality.
Foodborne illnesses are toxic or infectious. They can be caused by the chemical substances, parasites, viruses entering the body through contaminated water or food. In some cases chemical contamination can cause long-term diseases, such as cancer, or short-term illness, such as acute poisoning. A few examples of unsafe food are raw shellfish containing marine biotoxins, vegetables and fruits contaminated with feces, and uncooked foods of animal origin. E. Coli, campylobacter, and salmonella are among the most common foodborne pathogens that affect millions of people worldwide annually and result in fatal or severe outcomes. Moreover, listeria infection leads to death of newborn babies or miscarriages in pregnant women. Although the chances of this disease are relatively low, the fatality of listeria makes it one of the most serious foodborne infections. Vibrio cholera infects people through contaminated food or water. Various types of seafood, millet gruel, vegetables, and rice have been implicated in cholera outbreaks. Therefore, the demand for food safety testing is increasing to prevent the incidence of foodborne illnesses.
In 2020, North America held the largest share of the market. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined that one out of ten people fall sick due to foodborne illness each year in the US. The rising incidence of foodborne diseases has propelled the need for rapid testing, which is driving the market growth in North America. Additionally, enhanced detection and surveillance methods have fueled the food safety testing market growth in North America.