Market Trends of Food Authentication Testing Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Food Authentication Testing Market according to our research experts:
Shielding from the Increasing Cases of Food Frauds
The growing competition among the food manufacturers has helped the global food fraud cases prevail, giving rise to deliberate substitution, tampering, misrepresentation of food products, faulty packaging, or misleading statements about the products. Small players, in order to aid their economic gains, are tampering common food products, such as milk, by using melamine, urea, and other elements.
According to the Ministry of Health, in 2017, about 143,598 kg of fraudulent food was seized by the financial police in Italy, which majorly constituted fruits, pasta, and legumes. Some of the common products that are susceptible to food frauds are olive oil, milk, honey, and saffron. About 16% of the olive oil consumed, worldwide, is fraudulent in its composition, as indicated by the Food Fraud Database. The acknowledgement of such instances has developed a sense of skepticism among the consumers, regarding the purchase of items based on mere claims.
Europe Dominates the Global Food Authentication Market with Asia-Pacific being the Fastest Growing
Based on geography, Europe has led the global market, owing to the presence of highly-active food companies in the region, which are willing to comply with the stringent regulations in the market. For instance, the Food Standard Agency (FSA) in the United Kingdom is the regulatory body for assuring best food standards in the country. FSA has established the National Food Crime Unit and Food Fraud Unit to monitor any kind of food frauds related to adulteration or mis-labeling of both imported and local products, and the unit is alert in reporting any illegal non-compliance for immediate action.
There have been several instances of food fraud in China and India in the recent years. The fishery and dairy industries in India are highly prone to such cases. Five thousand kilograms of fish preserved with formalin were found in a truck in India. Electronic ID for traceability of products was issued to the aquaculture farmers to prevent the highly prevalent food fraud. Therefore, these cases have led to increased food authentication in these Asian countries.
