Food Sterilization Equipment Market

Market Overview

Sterilization is a physical or chemical process that effectively kills or eliminates microorganisms and pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, and prions from food, equipment, or medication. The objective of food sterilization equipment is to reduce spoilage and eliminate harmful microorganisms in food. Nutritional quality is undoubtedly essential in the food sector.

Food sterilization equipment is typically based on five technologies, namely heat, steam, radiation, chemical, and filtration, and food can be sterilized through two processes, namely batch sterilization, and continuous sterilization. Sterilization equipment finds application in food products such as spices, seasonings, herbs, fruits, and vegetables, primarily due to the rising health consciousness globally.

Market Dynamics

Baby Food Sterilization Has Unleashed a New Path for Food Sterilization Equipment

Food sterilization equipment has been in the market for quite some time; however, a rise in health and safety awareness has changed the way people consume food. Consumers have become more conscious than ever about whether food is safe for consumption. With the growing number of new foodborne diseases, consumers have become mindful of their health.

Although food sterilization equipment is yet in a growing phase, it holds immense growth potential. The rising demand for baby food is a key factor augmenting market growth prospects. Children under five years of age are more prone to infections and at an increased risk of foodborne illnesses and related health complications as their immune systems are still developing. Moreover, children at that age produce less stomach acid, which aids in killing harmful bacteria and viruses. Unsurprisingly, the age group accounts for about 40% of the foodborne disease incidence.

Rising Health Consciousness to Augment the Sterilization Equipment Market

The key driver for food sterilization equipment market is the rising incidence rate of foodborne diseases, which can further be attributed to the allergens and pathogens present in food products. The World Health Organisation reports that each year around 600 million, or almost 1 in 10 people, in the world fall ill after eating contaminated food. Around 420,000 people out of 600 million die, which includes 125,000 children aged under 5 years. Foodborne diseases are mainly caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses, chemicals, and toxins.

Regional Analysis

Asia-Pacific — The Leading Food Sterilization Equipment Market Due to the Widespread Consumption & Export of Spices

The demand for food sterilization equipment in Asia-Pacific is expected to see a hike owing to the rising number of food manufacturing plants in the region. In 2017, Singapore’s food industry contributed USD 4.3 billion to the country’s GDP, which accounts for 1.1% of the global GDP.

China

China accounts for about one-fourth of the total world population and, therefore, serves as one of the largest consumer markets worldwide. The country imported 53.48 million tons of foods and beverages in 2017, representing 36.5% growth. However, Asia-Pacific has a poor track record of food safety. When it comes to preventing foodborne diseases, countries in the region lack basic facilities and amenities.

As per the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), around 225,000 people die each year in Asia-Pacific due to contaminated food. Globally, some 600 million cases of foodborne diseases appear every year. In Asia-Pacific alone, there are more than 275 million cases of people falling ill as a result of foodborne diseases. With Asia holding such vast food industry and accounting for high casualties, the regional food sterilization equipment market is bound to grow manifold.

India

Asia-Pacific has a long history of trading with ancient civilizations such as Rome. Given their exquisite aroma and flavor, Indian Spices are the most sought after worldwide. India is the world's largest producer, consumer, and exporter of spices for decades. India produces around 75 types of spices from the 109 varieties listed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and accounts for half the global trading in spices. As per the India Brand Equity Foundation, 1.10 million tons of spice products and spices valued at USD 2.80 billion were exported from India in 2018. There was an increase of 7% in terms of volume from the previous year 2017, where a total of 1,028,060 tonnes were exported. 

Segmental Analysis

Segmentation by Technology

Although the food sterilization equipment market can be split into a number of segments, for the purpose of estimation, the market has been divided into heat, radiation, filtration, steam, chemical, and others on the basis of technology.

Steam

Steam sterilization is extensively used to extend the shelf life of food products and improve their nutritional content. The food irradiation technique eliminates microbial growth and thus, enhances the safety and life of food products. This technique finds a use for various products such as pork, beef, lettuce, spinach, vegetables, and fresh fruits. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted electron beams, x-rays, and gamma rays for the sterilization of food products.

Radiation

Radiation is the emission and propagation of energy through space or material. It mitigates the presence of pathogens and bacteria in food products, which helps in lowering the speed of enzyme production, thereby slowing down the decaying process. It also helps in increasing the shelf life of food products by delaying the ripening or sprouting process. The rising demand for environmental-friendly and chemical-free food processing techniques is anticipated to propel the market for radiation technology in the food sector.

Filtration

Filtration does not kill microbes; it basically separates them out. In order to eliminate particles from solutions that can’t be autoclaved, membranes with pore sizes from 0.2 μm to 0.45 μm are used. Generally, they are used to remove microbes from heat liable liquids such as sugar solutions.

Although Continuous Processing is More Efficient, Batch Processing is More Commonly Used for its Simple Operation

Food sterilization can be done by both batch and continuous processes. Batch sterilization is a sterilization system used in several food application sectors. The process requires a minimum expenditure on apparatus compared to the continuous sterilization process, making it the most preferred process. It is commonly used to control temperature fluctuation in order to mitigate the contamination of microorganism pathogens in food products. Further, its fast and easy processing features are driving the exponential growth of the marker.

On the other hand, the continuous sterilization process involves the rapid transfer of heat to the product through the steam condenser without the use of a heat exchanger. The heat is then injected into the system using a nozzle. This process is more efficient than the batch process as it has more simplified process control. For the majority of applications, the continuous process saves a lot more time, energy, and cost. Additionally, the proper implementation of this process can help reduce waste and increase productivity.

Use of Food Sterilization Equipment for Spices & Herbs

Food sterilization equipment finds various applications in the food and beverage industry. Right from spices to fruits and other cereals and pluses, sterilization has become an inextricable step for almost everything that we consume. Spices and herbs contain compounds such as antioxidants that have antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties that benefit consumer health. Herbs and spices are used by almost all food producers, owing to their ability to enhance the taste. They are also used in cuisines globally, and renowned manufacturers are adopting improved sterilization processes in order to not alter the taste of food, which creates a significant opportunity for the food sterilization equipment market.