Food Humectants Market Synopsis:
Food Humectants Market Size Was Valued at USD 5.18 Billion in 2023, and is Projected to Reach USD 7.70 Billion by 2032, Growing at a CAGR of 4.5% From 2024-2032
The Food Humectants Market describes the food industry which is particularly interested in processing reagents that promote the appropriate level of humidity in food products, and are used to enhance their quality properties. They are mostly incorporated into most processed foods, bakery products, confectionery, and beverages to provide protection against staling or causing the foods to dry up. Some of the common food humectants are glycerol, sorbitol, and xylitol, products that are used to control the water activity to enhance the food products shelf-life without affecting the quality.
Processed and convenience foods industry has grown rapidly in the past ten years due to the Food Humectants Market. This is perhaps most evident as consumers are increasingly turning to fast foods, including ready to eat meals and sliced bread, the use of which requires the preservation techniques offered by humectants. Because of the properties of the humectants to retain moisture in the food products and also improve the texture and mouthfeel, manufacturers have placed high reliance on them. Also, an increase in the demand for bakery and confectionery products mainly in developing countries has boosted the growth of the market. The industry has also been boosted in recent years by the clean label and natural food ingredients, where natural humectant ingredients are more desirable to health-conscious consumers.
Further, the increasing concern about minimising food wastage has shifted more focus on reducing food spoilage, which also contribute to the increased use of humectants. With the food manufacture industry constantly striving to produce better and more sustainable food products, humectants are thus becoming a standard ingredient. The market for processed food is predicted to grow strongly, especially in developing countries due to greater consumption and availability of processed foods as a result of rising standards of living, growth in population density, and urbanization.

Food Humectants Market Trend Analysis
Rising Demand for Natural Humectants
- Another trend pulling the strings in the Food Humectants Market is the rising market for natural and label-friendly humectants. As consumers demand more nutritious foods and carefully consider what they are putting into their body, natural humectics such as honey, molasses and vegetable glycerin are proving more popular than chemical. The clean-label has called for formulation change through natural and organic ingredients and has influenced consumers positively. It shows stead increase especially to bakery-confectionery and beverage products and spots the trend of usingnatural humectants which are aligned with the tendencies associated in creation of healthy and sustainable food products.
Opportunities in Emerging Markets
- Food Humectants Market growth opportunities present itself in developing regions of Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa due to growth in the middle class. Due to these effects of urbanization, the people in these regions and the consumers turn into more westernised diets, the demand for processed and snack foods and convenience foods such as ready to eat foods are rising. This shift in food consumption offers new opportunities for the producers of foodstuff to develop products that include humectants that suit the new markets. Furthermore, with higher disposable incomes and the developing consciousness of the quality and shelf life of foods, there is the requirement for superior products which include the use of superior quality humectants. Those businesses that are able to manage and meet these new demands are in a position to gain huge business and market share in the expanding market.
Food Humectants Market Segment Analysis:
Food Humectants Market Segmented on the basis of Product Type, Source and Application.
By Product Type, Glycerol segment is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period
- Based on the product type, the glycerol segment is expected to hit the highest growth in the Food Humectants Market over the coming years. Glycerol or glycerin is commonly used because it has the best water retention capacity and is also effective as texturising agent in the food items. It can be found in baked products, candies, milk products and processed meat products. Because of its functionality and the relatively reasonable price, glycerol is widely used in the food industry to enhance the stability of goods and lengthen their shelf life. Further, being GRAS, non-toxic its better alternatives for humectant, particularly in healthier products and those marketed as being safer for consumers.
By Source, Synthetic segment expected to held the largest share
- Based on the source, the largest market share is anticipated to be in the synthetic segment during the forecast period. Petrochemical humectants which include propylene glycol and glycerol are very reliable in holding moisture for the foods as well as improving their shelf life. These humectants are popular in food processing industry because they are cheaper and reliable in their operation. In this regard, despite the increasing demand for natural and organic products many synthetic humectants are widely used because of higher effectiveness and easy availability. Given food manufacturers’ efforts to manage costs, on the one hand, and meet performance requirements on the other, the synthetic humectants segment will continue to dominate the market.
Food Humectants Market Regional Insights:
Asia Pacific is Expected to Dominate the Market Over the Forecast period
- That is why Asia-Pacific was identified as the largest region for the Food Humectants Market in 2023, mainly due to the increasing demand for processed Foods among others such as China, India, and Japan. The region’s population is increasing and becomes a perfect ground for food manufacturing companies to launch products with humectants for moisture retention. Asia-Pacific the largest consuming region in the world, hold about 40% share of the global market in 2023 After China, Indonesia has prominent market place due to food processing industries and increasing middle class population. The other major market segment that will witness a steady increase in the use of humectants in the future years is the region’s increasing tendency to consume Western style diets.
Active Key Players in the Food Humectants Market
- Archer Daniels Midland Company (United States)
- Ashland Global Holdings Inc. (United States)
- Barentz International B.V. (Netherlands)
- BASF SE (Germany)
- Cargill, Inc. (United States)
- Corbion N.V. (Netherlands)
- Dow Chemical Company (United States)
- DuPont de Nemours, Inc. (United States)
- Ingredion Incorporated (United States)
- Jungbunzlauer Suisse AG (Switzerland)
- Kerry Group plc (Ireland)
- Palsgaard A/S (Denmark)
- Roquette Frères (France)
- Tate & Lyle PLC (United Kingdom)
- The Lubrizol Corporation (United States)
- Other key Players
Food Humectants Market |
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Base Year: |
2023 |
Forecast Period: |
2024-2032 |
Historical Data: |
2017 to 2023 |
Market Size in 2023: |
USD 5.18 Billion |
Forecast Period 2024-32 CAGR: |
4.5% |
Market Size in 2032: |
USD 7.70 Billion |
Segments Covered: |
By Product Type |
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By Source |
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By Application |
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By Region |
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Key Market Drivers: |
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Key Market Restraints: |
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Key Opportunities: |
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Companies Covered in the report: |
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1.1 Scope and Coverage
Chapter 2:Executive Summary
Chapter 3: Market Landscape
3.1 Market Dynamics
3.1.1 Drivers
3.1.2 Restraints
3.1.3 Opportunities
3.1.4 Challenges
3.2 Market Trend Analysis
3.3 PESTLE Analysis
3.4 Porter's Five Forces Analysis
3.5 Industry Value Chain Analysis
3.6 Ecosystem
3.7 Regulatory Landscape
3.8 Price Trend Analysis
3.9 Patent Analysis
3.10 Technology Evolution
3.11 Investment Pockets
3.12 Import-Export Analysis
Chapter 4: Food Humectants Market by By Product Type (2018-2032)
4.1 Food Humectants Market Snapshot and Growth Engine
4.2 Market Overview
4.3 Glycerol
4.3.1 Introduction and Market Overview
4.3.2 Historic and Forecasted Market Size in Value USD and Volume Units
4.3.3 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors, and Opportunities
4.3.4 Geographic Segmentation Analysis
4.4 Lactate
4.5 Sugar Alcohol
4.6 Phosphate
4.7 Glycol
4.8 Others
Chapter 5: Food Humectants Market by By Source (2018-2032)
5.1 Food Humectants Market Snapshot and Growth Engine
5.2 Market Overview
5.3 Synthetic
5.3.1 Introduction and Market Overview
5.3.2 Historic and Forecasted Market Size in Value USD and Volume Units
5.3.3 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors, and Opportunities
5.3.4 Geographic Segmentation Analysis
5.4 Natural
Chapter 6: Food Humectants Market by By Application (2018-2032)
6.1 Food Humectants Market Snapshot and Growth Engine
6.2 Market Overview
6.3 Functional Foods
6.3.1 Introduction and Market Overview
6.3.2 Historic and Forecasted Market Size in Value USD and Volume Units
6.3.3 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors, and Opportunities
6.3.4 Geographic Segmentation Analysis
6.4 Confectionery Products
6.5 Bakery Products
6.6 Dairy Products
6.7 Others
Chapter 7: Company Profiles and Competitive Analysis
7.1 Competitive Landscape
7.1.1 Competitive Benchmarking
7.1.2 Food Humectants Market Share by Manufacturer (2024)
7.1.3 Industry BCG Matrix
7.1.4 Heat Map Analysis
7.1.5 Mergers and Acquisitions
7.2 ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND COMPANY (UNITED STATES)
7.2.1 Company Overview
7.2.2 Key Executives
7.2.3 Company Snapshot
7.2.4 Role of the Company in the Market
7.2.5 Sustainability and Social Responsibility
7.2.6 Operating Business Segments
7.2.7 Product Portfolio
7.2.8 Business Performance
7.2.9 Key Strategic Moves and Recent Developments
7.2.10 SWOT Analysis
7.3 ASHLAND GLOBAL HOLDINGS INC. (UNITED STATES)
7.4 BARENTZ INTERNATIONAL B.V. (NETHERLANDS)
7.5 BASF SE (GERMANY)
7.6 CARGILL INC. (UNITED STATES)
7.7 CORBION N.V. (NETHERLANDS)
7.8 DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY (UNITED STATES)
7.9 DUPONT DE NEMOURS INC. (UNITED STATES)
7.10 INGREDION INCORPORATED (UNITED STATES)
7.11 JUNGBUNZLAUER SUISSE AG (SWITZERLAND)
7.12 KERRY GROUP PLC (IRELAND)
7.13 PALSGAARD A/S (DENMARK)
7.14 ROQUETTE FRÈRES (FRANCE)
7.15 TATE & LYLE PLC (UNITED KINGDOM)
7.16 THE LUBRIZOL CORPORATION (UNITED STATES)
7.17 OTHER ACTIVE PLAYERS
Chapter 8: Global Food Humectants Market By Region
8.1 Overview
8.2. North America Food Humectants Market
8.2.1 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
8.2.2 Top Key Companies
8.2.3 Historic and Forecasted Market Size by Segments
8.2.4 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Product Type
8.2.4.1 Glycerol
8.2.4.2 Lactate
8.2.4.3 Sugar Alcohol
8.2.4.4 Phosphate
8.2.4.5 Glycol
8.2.4.6 Others
8.2.5 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Source
8.2.5.1 Synthetic
8.2.5.2 Natural
8.2.6 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Application
8.2.6.1 Functional Foods
8.2.6.2 Confectionery Products
8.2.6.3 Bakery Products
8.2.6.4 Dairy Products
8.2.6.5 Others
8.2.7 Historic and Forecast Market Size by Country
8.2.7.1 US
8.2.7.2 Canada
8.2.7.3 Mexico
8.3. Eastern Europe Food Humectants Market
8.3.1 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
8.3.2 Top Key Companies
8.3.3 Historic and Forecasted Market Size by Segments
8.3.4 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Product Type
8.3.4.1 Glycerol
8.3.4.2 Lactate
8.3.4.3 Sugar Alcohol
8.3.4.4 Phosphate
8.3.4.5 Glycol
8.3.4.6 Others
8.3.5 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Source
8.3.5.1 Synthetic
8.3.5.2 Natural
8.3.6 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Application
8.3.6.1 Functional Foods
8.3.6.2 Confectionery Products
8.3.6.3 Bakery Products
8.3.6.4 Dairy Products
8.3.6.5 Others
8.3.7 Historic and Forecast Market Size by Country
8.3.7.1 Russia
8.3.7.2 Bulgaria
8.3.7.3 The Czech Republic
8.3.7.4 Hungary
8.3.7.5 Poland
8.3.7.6 Romania
8.3.7.7 Rest of Eastern Europe
8.4. Western Europe Food Humectants Market
8.4.1 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
8.4.2 Top Key Companies
8.4.3 Historic and Forecasted Market Size by Segments
8.4.4 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Product Type
8.4.4.1 Glycerol
8.4.4.2 Lactate
8.4.4.3 Sugar Alcohol
8.4.4.4 Phosphate
8.4.4.5 Glycol
8.4.4.6 Others
8.4.5 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Source
8.4.5.1 Synthetic
8.4.5.2 Natural
8.4.6 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Application
8.4.6.1 Functional Foods
8.4.6.2 Confectionery Products
8.4.6.3 Bakery Products
8.4.6.4 Dairy Products
8.4.6.5 Others
8.4.7 Historic and Forecast Market Size by Country
8.4.7.1 Germany
8.4.7.2 UK
8.4.7.3 France
8.4.7.4 The Netherlands
8.4.7.5 Italy
8.4.7.6 Spain
8.4.7.7 Rest of Western Europe
8.5. Asia Pacific Food Humectants Market
8.5.1 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
8.5.2 Top Key Companies
8.5.3 Historic and Forecasted Market Size by Segments
8.5.4 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Product Type
8.5.4.1 Glycerol
8.5.4.2 Lactate
8.5.4.3 Sugar Alcohol
8.5.4.4 Phosphate
8.5.4.5 Glycol
8.5.4.6 Others
8.5.5 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Source
8.5.5.1 Synthetic
8.5.5.2 Natural
8.5.6 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Application
8.5.6.1 Functional Foods
8.5.6.2 Confectionery Products
8.5.6.3 Bakery Products
8.5.6.4 Dairy Products
8.5.6.5 Others
8.5.7 Historic and Forecast Market Size by Country
8.5.7.1 China
8.5.7.2 India
8.5.7.3 Japan
8.5.7.4 South Korea
8.5.7.5 Malaysia
8.5.7.6 Thailand
8.5.7.7 Vietnam
8.5.7.8 The Philippines
8.5.7.9 Australia
8.5.7.10 New Zealand
8.5.7.11 Rest of APAC
8.6. Middle East & Africa Food Humectants Market
8.6.1 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
8.6.2 Top Key Companies
8.6.3 Historic and Forecasted Market Size by Segments
8.6.4 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Product Type
8.6.4.1 Glycerol
8.6.4.2 Lactate
8.6.4.3 Sugar Alcohol
8.6.4.4 Phosphate
8.6.4.5 Glycol
8.6.4.6 Others
8.6.5 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Source
8.6.5.1 Synthetic
8.6.5.2 Natural
8.6.6 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Application
8.6.6.1 Functional Foods
8.6.6.2 Confectionery Products
8.6.6.3 Bakery Products
8.6.6.4 Dairy Products
8.6.6.5 Others
8.6.7 Historic and Forecast Market Size by Country
8.6.7.1 Turkiye
8.6.7.2 Bahrain
8.6.7.3 Kuwait
8.6.7.4 Saudi Arabia
8.6.7.5 Qatar
8.6.7.6 UAE
8.6.7.7 Israel
8.6.7.8 South Africa
8.7. South America Food Humectants Market
8.7.1 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
8.7.2 Top Key Companies
8.7.3 Historic and Forecasted Market Size by Segments
8.7.4 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Product Type
8.7.4.1 Glycerol
8.7.4.2 Lactate
8.7.4.3 Sugar Alcohol
8.7.4.4 Phosphate
8.7.4.5 Glycol
8.7.4.6 Others
8.7.5 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Source
8.7.5.1 Synthetic
8.7.5.2 Natural
8.7.6 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By By Application
8.7.6.1 Functional Foods
8.7.6.2 Confectionery Products
8.7.6.3 Bakery Products
8.7.6.4 Dairy Products
8.7.6.5 Others
8.7.7 Historic and Forecast Market Size by Country
8.7.7.1 Brazil
8.7.7.2 Argentina
8.7.7.3 Rest of SA
Chapter 9 Analyst Viewpoint and Conclusion
9.1 Recommendations and Concluding Analysis
9.2 Potential Market Strategies
Chapter 10 Research Methodology
10.1 Research Process
10.2 Primary Research
10.3 Secondary Research
Food Humectants Market |
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Base Year: |
2023 |
Forecast Period: |
2024-2032 |
Historical Data: |
2017 to 2023 |
Market Size in 2023: |
USD 5.18 Billion |
Forecast Period 2024-32 CAGR: |
4.5% |
Market Size in 2032: |
USD 7.70 Billion |
Segments Covered: |
By Product Type |
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By Source |
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By Application |
|
||
By Region |
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Key Market Drivers: |
|
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Key Market Restraints: |
|
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Key Opportunities: |
|
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Companies Covered in the report: |
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Frequently Asked Questions :
The forecast period in the Food Humectants Market research report is 2024-2032.
Cargill, Inc., BASF SE, Roquette Frères, Tate & Lyle PLC, Ingredion Incorporated and Other Major Players.
The Food Humectants Market is segmented into Product Type, Source, Application and region. By Product Type, the market is categorized into Glycerol, Lactate, Sugar Alcohol, Phosphate, Glycol, Others. By Source, the market is categorized into Synthetic, Natural. By Application, the market is categorized into Functional Foods, Confectionery Products, Bakery Products, Dairy Products, Others. By region, it is analyzed across North America (U.S.; Canada; Mexico), Eastern Europe (Bulgaria; The Czech Republic; Hungary; Poland; Romania; Rest of Eastern Europe), Western Europe (Germany; UK; France; Netherlands; Italy; Russia; Spain; Rest of Western Europe), Asia-Pacific (China; India; Japan; Southeast Asia, etc.), South America (Brazil; Argentina, etc.), Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia; South Africa, etc.).
The Food Humectants Market describes the food industry which is particularly interested in processing reagents that promote the appropriate level of humidity in food products, and are used to enhance their quality properties. They are mostly incorporated into most processed foods, bakery products, confectionery, and beverages to provide protection against staling or causing the foods to dry up. Some of the common food humectants are glycerol, sorbitol, and xylitol, products that are used to control the water activity to enhance the food products shelf-life without affecting the quality.
Food Humectants Market Size Was Valued at USD 5.18 Billion in 2023, and is Projected to Reach USD 7.70 Billion by 2032, Growing at a CAGR of 4.5% From 2024-2032