The global animal feed antioxidants market size was valued at USD 207.37 million in 2022. It is estimated to reach USD 539.12 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 11.2% during the forecast period (2023–2031). The increase in animal disease prevalence and the surging incidence of zoonoses worldwide are driving the global market. Moreover, the prominent market players are introducing new products in the market, thereby creating opportunities for market growth.
Antioxidants are compounds or substances that inhibit oxidation, thereby eliminating potentially harmful oxidizing agents from living organisms. According to Halliwell and Gutteridge (1999), An antioxidant is a substance that, when present in food at a concentration below that of the oxidizable matrix, is significantly capable of preventing or interrupting oxidation. Antioxidants are extraordinarily advantageous for animal health and nutrition. For instance, oxidative stress can occur in an animal's body when exposed to environmental stressors like heat, disease, or high-energy diets.
Antioxidants in animal nutrition can reduce oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals and protecting the animal's cells. This can enhance the animal's immune system, fertility, and overall health. Vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium, and various plant-derived compounds, such as flavonoids and carotenoids, are frequently utilized as antioxidants in animal feed. The type and quantity of antioxidants added to animal feed depend on several variables, including animal species, diet, and production objectives.
In recent years, there has been an increase in the prevalence of animal diseases worldwide. For instance, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) reports that one out of every five farm animals is lost annually due to a disease. Further, since the late 20th century, zoonotic diseases, which the World Health Organization (WHO) have posed a growing hazard to public health. Up to 75% of new or emergent infectious diseases (EIDs) are zoonotic in origin. Each year, zoonoses cause 2.5 billion cases of human illness and 2.7 million human deaths around the globe.
Zoonoses include major modern diseases like Ebola virus disease, salmonellosis, swine flu, bird flu, COVID-19, and others. In the early 20th century, HIV was a zoonotic disease transmitted to humans, but it has since evolved into a human-only disease. This high incidence of animal and zoonotic diseases drives the demand for high-quality food products, driving the global animal feed antioxidants market.
The use of antioxidants in animal nutrition has increased due to the current trend of formulating diets with ingredients rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which are extremely susceptible to lipid peroxidation. The oxidation of the lipids and oils that comprise the feed significantly diminishes its nutritional value by reducing the amount of energy supplied to the animal that consumes them. Similarly, animal feed whose constituents have been oxidized contains high concentrations of free radicals and peroxides that are toxic to animals.
Antioxidants contribute to keeping feed, flours, premixes, and animal fats fresh and healthy, allowing them to be preserved for longer because they shield them from the deterioration caused by oxidation, preserving their sensory properties and preventing rancidity and discoloration. Antioxidants in animal nutrition also help prevent the breakdown of vital nutrients such as carotenoids, amino acids, and vitamins. Antioxidants are essential for optimizing animal yields destined for livestock production to achieve a higher economic yield and improve production quality (milk, poultry, eggs, etc.) and consumer safety. Such advantages are expected to drive the market growth.
The intensification of vegan trends and the growth of the vegan population is anticipated to be a major factor restraining the expansion of the market. For instance, Sainsbury's Future of Food research predicts that by 2025, one-fourth of people will be vegetarians or vegan. According to the company, online searches for vegan goods have increased by 24%, while sales of plant-based goods have increased by 65% yearly.
In addition, in January 2022, Google disclosed that searches for "vegan food near me" increased significantly in 2021. The term reached "breakthrough status," meaning its usage increased by at least 5,000%, indicating the increasing popularity of vegan diets. This depicts that there is a surge in the vegan population, in turn hampering the market expansion.
The vital players in the market are launching new products to strengthen their market share. For instance, Kemin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably improve the quality of life for 80% of the world's population with its products and services, has introduced a new antioxidant solution, Paradigmox® Green, for the organic livestock production industry in the EMENA region.
Furthermore, antioxidants play a crucial role in the dietary needs of individuals, forcing Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health - EMENA to provide a wide range of antioxidant solutions to cater to its clientele's unique preferences and demands. Such product launches are expected to create opportunities for market growth.
| Study Period | 2019-2031 | CAGR | 11.2% |
| Historical Period | 2019-2021 | Forecast Period | 2023-2031 |
| Base Year | 2022 | Base Year Market Size | USD 207.37 Million |
| Forecast Year | 2031 | Forecast Year Market Size | USD 539.12 Million |
| Largest Market | Asia-Pacific | Fastest Growing Market | North America |
Based on region, the global animal feed antioxidants market is bifurcated into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Central and South America, and the Middle East and Africa.
Asia-Pacific is the most significant global market shareholder and is estimated to expand substantially over the forecast period. The Asia-Pacific is home to 60% of the world's population and includes China and India, the world's two most populous countries. This huge population leads to a rapid increase in the demand for food and subsequently drives the livestock industry like poultry, cattle, swine, aquaculture, etc. For instance, in the Asia-Pacific region, the total sales value of poultry meat increased by 12.13% in 2019 and by 5.56% annually from 2016 to 2021. This increase was primarily the result of rising meat consumption throughout the region, particularly in Southeast Asia and Oceania. By 2031, the demand for chicken meat in Asia is expected to increase to 154 million metric tons. Hence, the growth of the livestock industry demands high-quality animal feed, which is ultimately expected to boost the animal feed antioxidants market in the region.
Furthermore, the hot and humid climate prevalent in growing economies like India and China has the potential to cause spoilage of animal feed, hence increasing the demand for animal feed antioxidants in these regions in the future. For instance, based on the All India Weather Summary and Forecast bulletin released by the India Meteorological Department, it was observed that a majority of India, specifically 22 states and Union Territories, encountered maximum temperatures that exceeded the normal range in April 2023. All these factors are estimated to augment the regional market growth.
The North American region is growing substantially due to rising meat consumption. For instance, according to a statistic published by Statista, North America had the highest per capita meat consumption between 2020 and 2022, with an average of 78.6 kilograms per person. Similarly, individuals residing in the North American region have shown a growing inclination towards prioritizing the well-being of animals on par with their health concerns. Thus, the market players in the animal feed industry are compelled to provide extremely efficient feed to offer animals optimal nutrition. As a result, the market for antioxidants in animal feed is experiencing growth in the region.
In the European region, the rising demand for animal proteins drives the demand for formulated feed. This requirement is also a significant factor influencing the expansion of the European market. The anticipated expansion of the pork manufacturing sector in European nations such as Germany, France, and Russia is projected to enhance the accessibility of livestock and consequently contribute to the growth of the business in the coming seven years. However, animal diseases, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the raw material and energy crises associated with the war significantly disrupted the production of formulated feed in Europe, restraining the animal feed antioxidants market. According to reports, this decline is roughly 5%.
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The global animal feed antioxidants market is bifurcated into products and livestock.
Based on product, the global market is segmented into natural and synthetic antioxidants.
Natural antioxidants and their use in animal nutrition appear promising and necessary under current production conditions. Natural antioxidants are either synthesized in the animal body through metabolic processes or obtained from other natural sources; their activity is highly dependent on their physical and molecular properties as well as their mechanism of action. This can be further categorized into enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. Similarly, consumers tend to seek out products of animal origin that are safe and natural. Therefore, producers must replace synthetic substances used in production with natural ones. As a result, several recent studies have aimed to identify natural alternatives to synthetic antioxidants for animal feed additives.
Synthetic antioxidants are produced or synthesized artificially using a variety of techniques. Generally, free radicals are captured, and polyphenolic compounds halt chain reactions. BHT, BHA, and Ethoxy quinine are the only heterocyclic, N-containing compounds reported to be used as antioxidants in food, particularly animal feed, to increase their solubility in lipids and oils and reduce their toxicity. These synthetic compounds with antioxidant properties are commonly used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food to stabilize fat, oil, and lipids.
Based on livestock, the global market is bifurcated into swine, poultry, cattle, aquaculture, and others.
Oxidation poses a risk of deterioration for poultry feed. The oxidation process destroys the feed's nutritional value, specifically the fat and fat-soluble vitamins. Carotenoids, lipids, amino acids, and Vitamins A, D, E, and K become rancid when exposed to oxidation in animal feed. Oxidation produces an odor and makes poultry feed unpalatable. In addition, feed oxidation reduces its nutritional value, and consuming contaminated feed can result in a severe nutrient deficiency. Certain trace minerals present in poultry diets may also catalyze the oxidation reaction. This necessitates the use of feed antioxidants to ensure that the nutrients are not degraded.
As per the FAO 2016 report, aquaculture is one of the most rapidly expanding food-producing sectors, with the greatest potential to help capture fisheries meet the world's aquatic food needs. In aquaculture techniques, providing fish with supplementary nutrients is imperative to foster the development of a robust and superior product, hence holding significant economic importance. Hence, in the past few years, much attention has been paid to the utilization of natural food additives in aquaculture, thereby driving the demand for the use of antioxidants in the aquaculture industry.
