Tannin Market - Stannin’ Tall

You might have heard the word ‘tannin’. No? Well, it does sound very similar to ‘sun tanning’, terms which of course you might be much more familiar with. However, what we will be talking here about is the class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules, which bind to and precipitate protein along with other organic compounds such as amino acids and alkaloids. Someone who likes to drink wine would probably have come across the term ‘wine tannins’, even though they may not know its importance and usage in their drink. However, the applications of this compound are many, which we shall understand soon.

The term ‘tannin’ comes from the usage of oak, as well as other tree barks in ‘tanning’, which is the process of treating the hides and skins of animals for producing leather, with the process being carried out in a ‘tannery’. The extracts of this product are characterized as a bitter-tasting, brown colored organic substance. They have high oxidation properties, which prove useful in the manufacturing of wines. Along with this, they find application in leather manufacturing, as mentioned earlier. Tannin market is also witnessing healthy growth, due to its usage in the wider beverage industry, as it has proved to be beneficial to health. Additionally, it is also used in the production of wood adhesives and anti-corrosive primers. Wow, so many uses!

In Wine-making

Tannins act as structural components and are utilized to retain the color of wine. These extracts help the wines to age better, ferment properly and gain a distinct aroma. It thus improves the taste and aroma of wines.

In Wood Adhesive Production

The high demand for wood among important industries has resulted in the corresponding high demand for wood adhesives. Wood adhesives find application in the areas of furniture-making, construction and manufacturing of musical instruments. The tannin known as ‘Pinus radiata’, which is native to California and Mexico, has been studied regarding its usage in wood adhesive production. Additionally, the product is also a component in a type of industrial particleboard adhesive that has been jointly developed by Forintek Labs Canada and the Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organization.

In The Manufacture Of Leather

The tannin market finds its largest area of application in leather manufacturing. Tannins extracted from various tree plants including, barks, roots and leaves are utilized for the manufacturing of leather. Owing to their insoluble proteins, they do not decompose and are thus utilized for tanning leathers. They help in improving the solidarity, water-resistance, and wearing properties of leather.

Different methods produce varied results in leathers. Some prominent methods utilized for manufacturing leather include chrome, vegetable, alternative, and natural tanning. Leather is manufactured with the help of these biomolecules in three stages including preparation stage, tanning, and crusting.

The image below shows the importance of this product during this process:

Use of tannin in three stages of leather manufacturing

In The Beverage Industry

Tannin is rapidly finding usage in the beverage industry as an additive, in popular drinks such as coffee, tea, juice and beer, due to it being an effective solution against widespread but significant diseases such as HIV, cancer and diabetes. Tea tannins involve various chemicals and agents which provide different antimicrobial and antioxidant benefits. One of them, known as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is found in green tea, is thought to reduce inflammation and combat against cancer and heart diseases.

In Food Products

When consumed in food products, tannin is highly beneficial for the human body as it inhibits the growth of fungi, viruses, yeasts, and bacteria. It also helps in protecting cellular oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation in human beings. It prevents various external entities including foodborne bacteria, micro-organisms, and aquatic bacteria from affecting the human body.

Over the past few years, the industry has experienced subsequent shifts in raw material trends, technology, and even production. Manufacturers have been investing in several R&D projects to develop environment-friendly manufacturing processes.

Beware Though….

Every coin has two sides, and so is true in the case of this product. Research studies have shown that these extracts have harmful effects when they are not utilized appropriately. Tannin-based products when consumed inappropriately are often regarded as carcinogenic and can be the cause of various diseases including esophageal cancer, heart diseases, intestinal bleeding, and diarrhea. Also, excessive consumption can lead to yellowing of the teeth, which harms a person’s physical appearance. Owing to the various shortcomings, foods with high content of these biomolecules are often considered to be low in nutritional content.

Thus, the tannin market is still in the developing stage and along with the rising demand from leather manufacturing and winemaking industry, the demand of extracts is also expected to build up over the next few years. Tannin extracts and end products are subjected to various governmental regulations globally and vary from one region to another, and in different countries.

Europe & North America Key For Future Growth

There is a high demand for leather products in Europe and North America, which has led to the two regions leading in the market share at the top. The Asia Pacific region, led by India, China and Japan, is also expected to how significant growth in coming years, as the region is witnessing an increasing standard of living as regards to its population, while the demand created from other countries also has necessitated its large-scale production in the region.

Some of the key players in the tannin industry include Tannin Corporation, S.A. Ajinomoto OmniChem, W. Ulrich GmbH, and Laffort S.A. These companies are involved in heavy investment in R&D, as well as increased product customization. Recent developments in this industry include:

• In September 2018, a team of researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have revealed that the use of tannin acid injections in cardiovascular and other similar diseases can potentially avoid the requirement of a surgery. Cardiovascular-circular disease is the second leading cause of death in the country.

• In January 2020, Lanxess submitted a patent for Tangian HS, a light and heat-resistant, synthetic replacement tanning agent, which finds application in the tanning and retanning of soft and almost white leather having a smooth grain. The product is ideal for organic and chromium-free tanning systems, like the X-Tan process technology.

  In-depth report on global tannin market by Grand View Research:

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/tannin-market