Market Overview
Galacto-oligosaccharides are composed of linked plant sugars in chains. Naturally, they are found in foods such as dairy products, beans, and some root vegetables. People use galacto-oligosaccharides as prebiotics. Prebiotics serve as food for the 'healthy' bacteria in the intestine. Galacto-oligosaccharides are most widely used for gastrointestinal disorders such as constipation and for the prevention of allergies in infants. The growing demand for oligosaccharides as low-calorie sweeteners in confectionery, beverages, and milk products, backed by its property of light sweetness and low calories, is anticipated to promote the growth of the global galacto-oligosaccharides market. In 2019, the global galacto-oligosaccharide market accounted for a market value of USD 483.93 million and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.15% over the forecast period, i.e. 2021-2028.
Regional Growth Highlights During 2019–2028
The galacto-oligosaccharide market in Europe held the highest share of 43.76% in 2019 and is estimated to hold this position throughout the forecast period owing to the rising awareness towards nutritional enrichment among working professionals for maintaining the balanced nutrition in the human body. Rising concerns over the hazardous effect associated with conventional pharmacy medicines are further anticipated to drive the market's growth during the forecast period. The galacto-oligosaccharide market in Asia is anticipated to grow with the highest CAGR of 11.02% during the forecast period. The market in this region is driven by the increasing consumption of dietary supplements for maintaining healthy lifestyles. Besides, widespread awareness regarding prebiotics and its extensive application in dietary supplements has further propelled the region's growth. Moreover, in Japan, the market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 11.93% during the forecast period on account of the increasing geriatric population in the country. The geriatric population is more prone to diseases such as immune disorder, digestive disorder, diabetes, and others, which further creates the demand for prebiotics products to improve their health and build immunity.
The study further incorporates Y-O-Y Growth, demand & supply and forecast future opportunity in North America (United States, Canada), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Rest of LATAM), Europe (U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Hungary, BENELUX [Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg], NORDIC [Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland], Poland, Russia, Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Rest of Asia-Pacific), Middle East and Africa (Israel, GCC [Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman], North Africa, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa). CLICK TO DOWNLOAD SAMPLE REPORT
Market Segmentation Synopsis
By End-User
Based on end-user, the global galacto-oligosaccharides market is segmented into food & beverage industry, pharmaceutical, personal care and animal feed. Among these segments, the food & beverages segment accounted for 73.67% of the market share in 2019 and is estimated to garner revenue of USD 385.90 Million in 2020. The growth of the segment can be attributed to galacto-oligosaccharides’ excellent nutritional properties. It is widely used in dairy products such as yogurt, butter, and cheese to improve their shelf life and as a nutritional additive, further increasing product adoption. The food & beverage industry segment is further divided into product, demography and application. The dairy products subsegment under applications segment, registered the largest market share along with a value of USD 129.88 million in the year 2019 and is further anticipated to achieve a CAGR of 10.08% during the forecast period.
Impact Of Covid 19 On Global Galacto-oligosaccharide Market
The coronavirus has indeed potentially disturbed the supply chain and affected the raw material supply and finished products in the market. While the coronavirus epidemic's ability to supply products to the food and beverage industries is little affected by lack of suppliers and resources and raw materials, the food companies alter suppliers to satisfy food safety requirements. The companies have reviewed their emergency response plans to ensure they can deal with any pandemic disturbances. Carriers generally do not have the extra capacity to meet the demand and supply gap caused by the crisis, and in many cases, the delivery of goods has also been slowed down. There is even lesser workforce available for transporting and distributing during the pandemic.
Market Drivers & Challenges
Growth Indicators
Effective Nutrient Provider For Lactose-Intolerant Population
Plant-based galacto-oligosaccharides have shown to be effective in meeting the lactose-intolerant population's nutritional requirements. This can be attributed to the presence of nutritional content of galacto-oligosaccharide which makes it preferable for infant formulations. As a result, there is an increase in the adoption rate of galacto-oligosaccharides for manufacturing infant formulations amongst the manufacturers. Moreover, galacto-oligosaccharides have therapeutic effects on immunity and gut health and further helps to reduce exogenous and endogenous intestinal infections. It has also been observed that the product lowers risk of colorectal cancer, which is caused due to lactose intolerance, as it produces short-chain fatty acids. Such factors are anticipated to drive the growth of the global galacto-oligosaccharide market during the forecast period.
Increasing Health Awareness And Rising Geriatric Population
The major applications of galacto-oligosaccharides include functional food & beverages and dietary supplements. Rising geriatric population and increasing health awareness among the global population drive the demand for various dietary supplements. According to the statistics by the World Bank, global population aged 65 years and above increased from 8.427 (% of total population) in the year 2016 to 9.099 (% of total population) in the year 2019.
Geriatric populations suffer from various ailments related to old age, which is raising the need for the consumption of dietary supplements. Galacto-oligosaccharide in dietary products shows various beneficial effects, including increased mineral absorption, improvement in bowel habit, control of serum lipid and cholesterol level, and reduced IBD inflammation. Moreover, with the increasing number of diabetes patients and the side effects of anti-diabetic drugs, the demand for new dietary supplementation from natural resources, especially functional oligosaccharides, is rising among the consumers. Functional oligosaccharides are potential anti-diabetic treatments on account of their non-digestible, low-calorie, and probiotic properties. Such factors are therefore anticipated to drive the growth of the global galacto-oligosaccharide market during the forecast period.
Challenges
Presence Of Counterfeit Product As An Alternative
On account of the rising demand for nutritional products, counterfeited products are attracting the attention of the consumers owing to its availability at cheap rates, thus acting as a restraining factor for the growth of galacto-oligosaccharide market. Counterfeit products may contain harmful chemicals and can severely affect the health of the consumers. Counterfeited supplements replace the ingredients with other substances, and then misrepresent the ingredients on the label.
Top Featured Companies Dominating the Market
Some of the prominent industry leaders in the global galacto-oligosaccharide market are Yakult Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd, FrieslandCampina, Ingredion Incorporated, Quantum Hi-Tech (China) Biological Co., Ltd., New Francisco (Yunfu City) Biotechnology Corporation Ltd., Nissin Sugar Co., Ltd., Baolingbao Biology Co., Ltd., Samyang Foods Co., Ltd. and others.
