Demand for food safety products to reach US$5.2bn by 2022

Food safety is a top priority for the food industry, as companies are expected to remain up to date with policies and adhere to strict regulations. Since consumers place a lot of trust in food manufacturers and suppliers to uphold these high safety standards, this has seen an increasing focus on food safety products.

A study, entitled ‘Food Safety Products in the US by Product and Market, 5th Edition’, by industry research company Freedonia, outlined some of the key trends in this industry.

The study stated that disinfection products make up the largest share of food safety product demand, representing 35% of the market in 2017.

Disinfection products used in food safety — such as chemical disinfectants and sanitisers, disinfectant equipment and wipes — is projected to increase in demand by 3.9% annually to US$1.7 billion in 2022.

Specifically, the demand for disinfectant and sanitiser chemicals at the formulated (ready-to-use or ready-to-dilute) level in food safety applications is forecast to increase 3.2% annually to US$1 billion in 2022. The report suggested that government and business efforts to eliminate contamination at the food processing level was a driving factor behind these gains, as well as consumer fears over foodborne illnesses.

Consumers inevitably influence every industry, as businesses try to outdo competitors and provide solutions to their needs. This is particularly true in the case of safety in the food industry.

There have been a number of high-profile outbreaks of foodborne illnesses in recent years, which has resulted in several product recalls. This has caused consumer distrust of food processors and ingredients, and driven the development of food safety products and testing methods. This includes the increasing popularity of disinfectant and diagnostic products, as well as demand for food authenticity and traceability.

Many have turned to ingredients they perceive to be more natural, such as raw ingredients, which has consequently seen a rise in new safety processes. For example, heat-treated flour for raw ingredients such as dough.

Overall, the US demand for all types of food safety products is expected to have an annual growth rate of 4.9%, reaching US$5.2 billion by 2022. Other food safety products included in the report were diagnostic products, disposable gloves, smart labels and tags, and software tracking systems.

The study suggested developments in technology and ongoing implementation of rules under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) will help bring about better traceability in the food supply chain and drive gains in food safety products such as disinfectants.

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