A new trend has emerged, however, due to spiralling commodity prices and raw material shortages. Manufacturers have started to blend different antioxidants to minimise cost.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Analysis of the European Shelf-life Extension Food Additives Market, forecasts the market to more than double in coming years, from revenues of $103.6m in 2011 to $246.1m in 2018.
The research covers natural antioxidants including vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) and herbal extracts (rosemary extract) as well as synthetic antioxidants.
Consumer perception that natural products are healthy, has underlined the significant shift toward the use of more natural antioxidants such as mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) and rosemary extracts, rather than synthetic antioxidants.
Blending allows suppliers to partially replace natural antioxidants. The process includes blending rosemary extracts, for example, with mixed tocopherols and ascorbyl palmitate, which is synthetic. Blending antioxidants provides a less expensive product of equal quality and efficacy.
Raw materials needed to manufacture antioxidants are scarce, which affects the natural Vitamin E segment. The reduced volume production of mixed tocopherols, results in a prevalence of alternate sources due to price increases.
Source: Frost & Sullivan
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