What Preserves, Also Promotes!

Preservatives have successfully augmented and made food available for extended periods. Sugar and salt have been used from time immemorial to preserve food products. They are classic examples of natural food preservatives. Preservatives have, nowadays, become an indispensable part of the almost every processed food consumed, worldwide. Food preservatives are the class of food additives (natural or chemical compounds) that are added to food products to restrict the growth of spoilage-causing microbes and to prevent any undesirable alterations in the organoleptic profile of foods. They, thereby, lengthen the keeping quality and shelf-life of food products. Food trade is getting increasingly globalized with consumers demanding all-round availability of seasonal and perishable foods. The global market for food preservatives is driven by the increasing demand for convenience foods and high standards of food safety and quality. The Global Food Preservative Market is expected reach USD 3001.4 million by 2023, at an estimated CAGR of 2.7% during the next five years (2018-2023), according to the Hyderabad-based market intelligence firm, Mordor Intelligence.

Expansion of Processed Food industry – Boosting Growth of the Food Preservatives Market

With the advent of refrigeration technology, food transportation became a viable trade, thereby providing the much-needed fillip to the growth of the processed food industry. Processed foods are increasingly perceived as the preferred choice of consumers in the backdrop of the rapidly evolving marketplace.Modern consumers are devoid of enough time, owing to their hectic lifestyles, which is an outcome of dynamic economic development.Consumers are, thus, opting for processed food products that are safe, affordable and convenient. The food preservatives are indispensably incorporated into processed food products to cater to the increasing demand for food safety, higher quality, and sustainability.

The rapid evolution of global food supply chains has necessitated the use of food preservatives that enhance the keeping quality of food by increasing their shelf life. The taste and odor of food products are kept intact with the use of food preservatives that not only restrict the growth of spoilage microorganisms but also assist in maintaining the all-around availability of perishable food products. The developing economies have witnessed exponential growth in the market for processed foods, owing to the rise in discretionary incomes of the emerging middle-class. Thus, the robust growth of the global processed food industry has driven the market for food preservatives.

Natural Preservatives – the Future of the Food Preservative Market

The rise in consumer preferences for healthier food products has prompted food manufacturers to reformulate their products by providing “the clean label” for customers. To meet the demand for healthy products, food processors are eliminating and replacing unsafe ingredients with healthy ingredients. Many brands have completely revamped their product portfolio by eliminating synthetic anti-microbial agents or preservatives. Consumers have shown greater interest in buying food products that have recognizable names on labels, companies are, thus, incorporating natural food preservatives that can fetch higher sales, making the market increasingly sustainable in the upcoming years.

Natural food preservatives, like essential oils, spices, vinegar, new fermentates, fruit extracts, and plant extracts, are constantly assessed for their anti-microbial efficacy, in order to commercially incorporate them into processed food products to create consumer-friendly labels.

The healthy-eating trends have led to higher demands for natural, non-GMO, and minimally-processed premium food products, necessitating the use of natural preservatives. However, the rising popularity of novel food preservation methods, like high-pressure processing, aseptic processing, etc., is that completely eliminate the need for food preservative, is impeding the market growth of food preservatives.

The Way Ahead

Food preservatives will continue to play a contributing role in maintaining the global food security and food safety. However, more R&D will be required to understand the complex interactions with the molecular components of food products so as to ensure enhanced food safety and quality. Moreover, the dedicated agencies are also required to tighten the framework regulating the use of food preservatives so as to ensure safe food to end-consumers.