Foodborne illness awareness driving chemical cleaning market

Concern about the rise of infectious diseases and foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella and E.coli…

Projected increase

The market research firm said the use of I&I cleaning chemicals in food and beverage processing is projected to increase 5.6% to US$1.7bn (€1.38bn) in 2016.

Freedonia said growth reflected the rising popularity of processed convenience foods, such as those in aseptic packaging, which require highly sanitary plant and equipment conditions in order to provide effective quality assurance.

Food and beverage processing often poses particularly difficult challenges for cleaning chemicals due to the accumulation of grease, blood, and other organic waste.

“These challenges lend themselves to constant and intensive use of cleaning chemicals, but because the chemicals are used in close proximity to food and beverage products, they must be safer than would otherwise be perfectly acceptable in other industrial settings.

“Food and beverage processors often have little alternative to using higher value formulations that pose little workplace threat, do not threaten finished food and beverage products, but remain effective in arduous cleaning environments.”

The report said nearly every market over the 2006-2011 period struggled and a few registered declines.

The manufacturing segment is projected to register the fastest growth in demand through 2016, based on sustained growth in food and beverage processing, which accounts for the majority of consumption. 

Stable volume 

In volume terms, demand for cleaning chemicals tends to be mostly stable although there are minor fluctuations in food and beverage shipments and variations in product pricing. 

The shape of the product mix is more likely to affect industry size than trends affected by public tastes, found the research.

In the longer term, more secular trends such as the rising popularity of processed, microwaveable, and other convenience foods have provided opportunities for cleaning chemicals which are used to prevent contamination. 

Suppliers of cleaning chemicals include Diversey, Ecolab, Fuller Brush Commercial and Spartan Chemical. 

Ecolab is the leading supplier of cleaning and sanitizing products due to the broad range of sectors it serves, including poultry and swine farms, and meat and poultry processors; and its strength in dairy and beverage processing markets, said the report.