Sunflower oil is a type of vegetable oil that is extracted from the seeds of the Helianthus annuus plant. Its mild flavor, pale color, and high smoke point make it ideal for culinary applications. Sunflower oil is a popular cooking, frying, baking, and salad dressing ingredient.
Sunflower oil market share is driven by using sunflower oil to fry bread and confectionary products and prepare meals. Sunflower oil is in high demand since it benefits the heart and skin and keeps bad cholesterol at bay, boosting the sunflower oil industry. Sunflower oil is also used in cosmetic treatments to protect, moisturize, and heal bruises and other skin conditions. Sunflower oil is used in medicines to make active component carriers, lotions, and gels for quick absorption, and its demand is predicted to rise internationally. These factors are estimated to fuel the rise of the global sunflower oil market throughout the forecast period.
Recent consumer demand for healthier cooking oils has increased. Its healthy fat profile has made sunflower oil popular among health-conscious consumers. People trying to cut saturated fat often substitute sunflower oil with oils with more saturated fat. The American Heart Association recommends replacing saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats to optimize cardiovascular health. High in these fats, sunflower oil is a fantastic choice for heart-healthy diets. In addition, the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" examined how cooking oils affected cholesterol. The study found sunflower oil decreased LDL cholesterol more than palm oil, which has higher saturated fat. Therefore, the sunflower oil market has grown.
Organic and non-GMO food products are in demand as consumers want healthier, more environmentally responsible options. Sunflower, a flexible cooking oil, may benefit from this trend by offering organic and non-GMO options to health-conscious and environmentally conscientious consumers. The organic options are "Certified Organic" and "Non-GMO Project Verified," indicating that they use sustainable farming methods and no GMOs. Consumers that respect their health and support sustainable agriculture prefer organic sunflower oil. According to Non-GMO Project data, the non-GMO market is expanding. Non-GMO Project Verified product sales in the US will approach USD 35 billion by 2020. Customers want transparent, clean labeling and products that match their beliefs and diets. Sunflower oil producers can capitalize on the growing demand for organic and non-GMO products by certifying and labeling them. Working with organic growers and procuring non-GMO sunflower seeds can verify the product's claims.
Europe dominates sunflower oil. This type of oil consumption is growing significantly, extending the regional market. The high smoke point and unsaturated fatty acids induce rapid regional consumption. World's largest sunflower seed oil producers are Russia and Ukraine. Russia's oil and fat business is a major subsector of food processing, and sunflower oil output has grown dramatically in the recent decade. Russia produces the second-most sunflower seeds and oil behind Ukraine. Due to increased demand from the home processing sector and other European regions, the US Department of Agriculture produced 5.82 million metric tons of sunflower seed oil in 2021-22, up from 5.12 million in 2020-2021. Russia produced 4.6 million tonnes of sunflower seed oil in 2017, according to a 2018 Oil Palm Industry Economic Journal report. Due to their busy lifestyles, European customers utilize superior cooking oils to improve their health. This has increased oil use in catering and domestic cooking.
The Middle East and Africa is the fastest-growing region because of South Africa and Turkey, major producers. Domestic demand for this oil has increased as food producers fry and prepare more. Many companies are also building large food processing plants in the area. Many foreign corporations want to work with local producers to suit regional demand. Biodiesel manufacturing has also boosted the sunflower seed oil market.