Food Safety Testing Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Test (Allergen Testing, Chemical & Nutritional Testing), By Application (Meat, Poultry, & Seafood Products, Beverages), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2024 - 2030

Food Safety Testing Market Size & Trends

The global food safety testing market size was estimated at USD 22.6 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8% from 2024 to 2030. A major factor propelling market growth is the rising prevalence of food-borne illnesses, enhanced consumer awareness regarding food safety, implementation of stringent food safety regulations, and rising consumer demand for convenience and packaged food items. In the near future, food safety testing providers will have strong expansion potential due to technological advancements in food safety testing methodologies. To guarantee the quality and safety of the food we eat, the food safety testing is essential.

This industry is crucial to safeguarding the public's health because of its capacity to identify and get rid of dangerous pollutants, food poisons, and viruses. The market is anticipated to increase significantly due to growing public concern about food contamination and food-borne illnesses as well as improvements in testing methodologies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 out of 6 Americans, or 48 million people in the U.S., fall prey to foodborne illnesses annually. These disorders claim the lives of around 3,000 people each year, with 128,000 people being admitted to hospitals due to them. Hence, it is projected that the growing number of foodborne illness cases among Americans will drive the market for food safety testing.

Food-borne sickness is mainly caused due to the consumption of contaminated, rotten, or deteriorating food items that can be home to numerous microorganisms, including fungi, bacteria, viruses, parasites, and others. Moreover, several additional pollutants, including heavy metals, mycotoxins, and chemicals, contribute to the rising occurrence of food-borne illnesses. Demand for food testing kits, machinery, and systems in the area is dramatically rising due to these increasing incidents driving up demand for the market for food safety equipment. For instance, in May 2022, Reno, Nevada-based Bureau Veritas, a company that offers certification services, laboratory testing, and inspection announced the establishment of its third U.S. microbiological laboratory. The facility will perform microbiology indicator analyses and quick pathogen testing for the agri-food industry.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, a number of factors of food safety, including transportation and dining etiquette, have improved. With the use of information technology to locate consumer information and smartphone apps for food purchase and delivery, lockdowns created a new business opportunity in the food sector. This crisis offers a chance to change the food system in ways that are less susceptible to upheaval. More than ever, consumers are concerned about food safety and the technology that upholds it. As a result, the market acceptance of food safety testing is anticipated to be fueled by expanding public consciousness regarding food safety.

Increasing demand for wholesome and nutritious food additives, growing awareness of various health benefits, rising food safety concerns, an aging population, rising healthcare costs, shifting lifestyle habits, and the accessibility of different food safety testing techniques are a few of the major factors propelling the growth of the global market. For instance, in April 2022 Mérieux NutriSciences acquired Hortec Pty Ltd (Hortec) in South Africa and Laboratorios Bromatológicos Araba SA (Aralab) in Spain. By making these new acquisitions, Mérieux NutriSciences is expanding its regional reach in Spain and entering the pesticide industry in South Africa, furthering its strategic objectives and enhancing its capabilities.

Market Dynamics

To guarantee the quality and safety of the food produced in food & beverage processing factories, food safety testing is essential. Food safety testing is crucial for the processed food industry as it guarantees public health because of its capacity to identify and remove dangerous pollutants, and toxins from food products. Hence, with the growth in end-use industries such as the food processing industry, and the meat & poultry industry, the demand for food safety testing is expected to rise in maintaining food security globally. Moreover, the market for food safety testing has been growing significantly to reduce rising foodborne illness rates and to make global food supply chain integration more feasible. In addition to that, rising consumer awareness of food safety is further propelling the market.

Test Insights

The microbiological testing segment led the market in 2023 with a revenue share of 28.8%. The market is anticipated to grow as it plays an important role in the detection of microorganisms in food items using chemical, biological, molecular, and biochemical methods, offering exact results on their makeup. For instance, SGS opened a new food analysis facility in Mexico in July 2022. Businesses will benefit from the new Naucalpan laboratory's assistance with quality control and regulatory compliance, which will benefit the Mexican food industry.

The allergen testing segment held 12.8% of the global revenue share in 2023. The increasing prevalence of food allergies in consumers increases the consciousness about health which increases the development of food allergen testing methods and is fueling the growth of the segment. For instance, according to CDC/National Center for Health Statistics 2023, nearly 1 in 3 U.S. adults and more than 1 in 4 U.S. children reported having a food allergy. In addition, almost 6% of U.S. adults and children have a food allergy, thereby, driving the segment growth over the forecast period.

The residues & contamination testing segment is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% from 2024 to 2030. This growth is attributed to extensive safety and quality checks done to detect the overuse of chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides and growth in the utilization of antimicrobial drugs and additives. A rise in demand for contamination checks for meat, poultry, and meat products is expected to drive the segment growth.

The genetically modified organism (GMO) testing segment held a revenue share of 13.3% in 2023. The segment is primarily driven by rising awareness among consumers regarding the presence of harmful GMOs in edible products. Also, the growth in the production of GMO edible products is expected to drive the demand for such safety tests to ensure optimum food quality

Application Insights

The meat, poultry, & seafood products application segment held a revenue share of 30.3% in 2023. Globally more individuals are consuming processed poultry and meat products at home, in restaurants, fast food restaurants, and other locations. For instance, worldwide meat consumption is estimated to reach 460 to 570 billion tons by the year 2050, according to The World Counts. Therefore, it is essential to ensure optimum product quality during meat processing to minimize the perils of foodborne microorganisms.

Meat quality testing requirements are constantly changing to make sure that food producers only release the highest-grade goods onto the market. For instance, Tyson Foods recalled more than 8.9 billion pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products in July of this year because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Significant recall quantity itself represents the scope of pathogen testing requirements in the processed meat sector, thereby driving up the market for food safety testing.

The processed food application segment held a revenue share of 26.8% in 2023. The ongoing investigation of processed food product lines is caused by the inclining consumer need for variety in foods. To ensure that every ingredient maintains its quality and safety across all processing stages and that completed products are packaged and kept properly, more advanced quality control techniques are required. Consequently, it is projected that the adoption of food safety testing will fuel market expansion as a result of the aforementioned factors. For instance, the FSSAI regulates processed foods as a group of products, with guidelines for testing that include nutritional information, pollutants, and microbiological safety.

The dairy & dairy product application segment is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.7% from 2024 to 2030. In the dairy business, food safety goes beyond disease control. For instance, between 2% and 3% of infants in affluent countries suffer from milk allergy, which is the most prevalent food allergy in early life. Furthermore, owing to the vast range of ingredients used in dairy products, particularly ice cream, milk products are vulnerable to undisclosed allergy recalls. For instance, when it comes to such recalls in the United States, ice cream is second only to bakery products in terms of frequency. Hence, it is anticipated that the growing number of food recalls resulting from non-compliant dairy and dairy products will increase the demand for testing services.

Regional Insights

North America region held a 31.2% share of global revenue in 2023. By offering specific product lines and higher-quality food safety testing services, players in the market have established a strong presence in North America. They also employ cutting-edge manufacturing and marketing techniques. The rising disposable income in Canada is also projected to contribute to the additional regional market growth for food safety testing. As per the Mississippi State Department of Health, salmonellosis, shigellosis, and campylobacteriosis are the three most widespread foodborne diseases in the state. Due to the aforementioned considerations, several businesses have begun providing high-quality food safety testing services, driving up market demand.

To prevent foodborne disease outbreaks and avoid consuming heavy metals and drug residues that are unsafe for human consumption, the European market is anticipated to have an increase in demand for microbiological testing, followed by chemical & residue contamination testing. Moreover, a significant contributor to the economy in Europe is the food and beverage sector, which continues to exhibit traits of a strong, resilient, and stable industry. Throughout the projected period, product makers will increase attention to ensure the safety of food products, which is anticipated to fuel market expansion.

Asia Pacific region is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 9.0% from 2024 to 2030. The market is growing owing to the implementation of stringent rules and regulations regarding foods. Governments have put various regulations in place for regulators, consumers, and producers. The regional growth is mainly driven by the increasing demand for processed food items in rapidly emerging nations such as China, Indonesia, India, and Thailand, along with a rise in cases of poisoning outbreaks due to contaminated meat consumption and growth in food degradation cases such as contamination, pesticides, and artificial flavoring. For example, the South Korean government has imposed a complete ban on food and beverage packaging material that is prepared using recycled materials which does not comply with national standards.

Several polls and studies have shown that consumers in the Middle East & Africa region strongly trust their food and beverage firms; thus, regional governments are taking action to reassure local customers regarding the safety of food products and related supply chains. Organizations such as the Department of Trade & Industry, the National Department of Health, and other notable food safety institutions have implemented stringent laws over several years to prevent foodborne disease outbreaks, contributing to the expansion of the food safety testing space in countries such as South Africa. Thus, during the assessment period, the regional market has expanded due to rising consumer worries regarding food safety.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The manufacturers adopt several strategies, including acquisitions, geographical expansions, new joint ventures, product developments, and mergers to enhance market penetration and cater to the changing technological requirements from various applications such as dairy & dairy products, processed food, beverages, cereals, meat, poultry, & seafood products, and others. For instance, site rationalizations and reorganizations have been moving steadily as of February 2022, following Eurofins' purchase of Test America in the U.S. in 2018. The year 2019 saw the purchase of a 7,950 m2 structure on an 18,000 m2 block of land in California, U.S. Later, the structure was renovated to combine the laboratories for TestAmerica Eurofins and Calscience LLC and Irvine into a single location.

Food Safety Testing Market Report Scope

Global Food Safety Testing Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global food safety testing market report based on test, application, and region:

• Test Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

  • Allergen Testing

  • Chemical & Nutritional Testing

  • Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) Testing

  • Microbiological Testing

  • Residues & Contamination Testing

  • Others

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

  • Meat, Poultry, & Seafood Products

  • Dairy & Dairy Products

  • Processed Food

  • Beverages

  • Cereals & Grains

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • UK

    • France

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • Japan

    • India

  • Central & South America

    • Brazil

    • Peru

    • Ecuador

    • Bolivia

    • Colombia

    • Paraguay

    • Costa Rica

    • Guatemala

  • Middle East & Africa

    • South Africa