Beta-glucan Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Source (Cereal, Mushroom, Yeasts, Seaweed), By Application (F&B, Personal Care, Pharmaceuticals, Animal Feed), By Type, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025

Industry Insights

The global beta-glucan market size was estimated at USD 410.6 million in 2016. The increasing usage of the product as an immunity booster medicine in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industry is anticipated to drive growth. Changing consumer preferences toward the use of nutritious food supplements over synthetic ingredients are likely to drive the growth.

The industry is likely to grow on account of increasing awareness among manufacturers regarding using multiple sources, harvesting, processing, and extraction methods. The manufacturers in the use of innovative patented technologies in a bid to improve the market share and increase the overall sales.

The U.S. is a developed economy with high amount of investment noted in research & development for innovation in drugs, animal feed and innovative formulations with organic compounds. The highest usage of the mushroom is observed in the preparation of drugs used for cancer treatment which is anticipated to drive growth over the span of eight years.

Factors such as growing awareness about the sustainable sourcing of products and the using organic substitutes of medicines are expected to drive production. Producers are adopting various regulations and certifications namely FSSC 22000, GRAS, USDA Organic, Fairtrade, Kosher, HACCP, GMP, to ensure quality and sale ability of products in an attempt to lure large base of customers.

The industry is moderately affected by the presence of substitutes, namely guar gum and other natural compounds used as immunomodulators. However, factors such as the increased number of advertisements and marketing of substitutes are anticipated to hamper the industry growth.

The extraction technologies used for beta-glucan extraction process range from amniotic membrane extraction, dry and wet fractionation process, and chemical extraction process using acid and bases. The yield of the extraction for the product depends on the type of extraction process employed.

Source Insights

Cereal is widely used source of beta-glucan for bakery and other food products for its superior physiological property. The segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2017 to 2025 Creals are known to have a positive impact on the bodily functions of human beings and thus are one of the major source of raw material for the extraction of the product.

Mushroom based product is anticipated to cater to highest number of end-use industries. The specific types of mushroom or fungi like shiitake, reshi, maitake, turkey tail are used in manufacturing of beta-glucan, which are further used in cosmetics formulations and animal feed applications.

Baker’s yeast is the widely used source of the product on account of its low-cost availability. It is used largely in the food and beverage industry as well as a cheap animal feed. In addition, yeast has higher active linkages as compared to mushroom sourced products, wherein it is used in pharmaceutical industry for the cancer treatment.

The seaweed sourced product is largely consumed in the production of dietary supplements in the food and beverage application which is anticipated to drive industry growth over the forecast period. Major manufacturers adopted advanced algae based technology for extraction of beta-glucan which is presumed to drive the market over the forecast period.

Type Insights

The beta-glucans in soluble form are sourced from yeast, cereals by fractionation method, and are dissolvable in water, alkali and other bases for the preparation of drugs and cosmetic ingredients. The global demand for soluble beta-glucan fibre is anticipated to grow on account of rising demand for cosmetic products over the forecast period.

Soluble fibers easily dissolve in water and are transported through the digestive tract becoming gelatinous in nature and removing cholesterol from the body by balancing the blood glucose in the process. The rising demand of the product in pharmaceutical formulations is presumed to be a factor in increasing the market for soluble product over the forecast period.

The insoluble compounds are generally mixed with methyl sulfoxide and urea or partially sulfated with sulfuric acid. The segment is expected to reach a value of USD 441.0 million by 2025. The product finds extensive use in pharmaceutical biofuels manufacturing which is anticipated to benefit the market.

The insoluble beta-glucan powder is inert in nature making it compatible with numerous ingredients used in the production of cosmetics. The cosmetics industry uses an insoluble form of the products for manufacturing antifungal cream, antimicrobial cream, deodorants, and other oral care products which is likely to drive the industry growth.

Application Insights

The increased manufacturing of beverages containing beta-glucan by major players in the market namely Tate & Lyle Plc, DSM NV on account of growing consumer preference towards these health supplements is presumed to drive the industry growth. Other health benefits linked with consumption of the product including cardiovascular health improvement, cognitive improvement, and cancer prevention is presumed to drive demand.

Cosmetics and personal care products containing beta-glucan are sourced from cereals such as oats on a larger scale. Oat based products are noted to stimulate and macrophage in the skin layers promoting the protective qualities of the keratinocytes which aid in repairing the skin texture. The demand for the product in the manufacture of cosmetics is expected to drive the growth.

The pharmaceutical application is anticipated to exhibit high consumption of beta-glucan with the segment expected be valued at USD 177.5 million by 2025 driven by product use in preparation of drugs for cancer treatment, immunity improvement, weight reduction, cholesterol balancing.

Animal feed manufactured using the product is generally sourced from yeast, as the source is available at low costs coupled. After the ban on usage of antibiotics in animal feed, the market for beta-glucan containing drugs has registered a continuous growth which is expected to propel demand.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific is expected to be a key industry for beta-glucan due to the presence of a significant base of the consumer industries. China is anticipated to be the economy with one of the major shares for the consumption and production of the product over the span of eight years.

The presence of a number of major players in Europe coupled with high disposable income and changing consumer preferences towards the consumption of nutraceutical supplements is likely to drive the product growth over the next eight years. A large number of companies are focusing on using innovative techniques for the manufacture of products customized exclusively for the end-use industries, which is likely to drive the growth.

North America is anticipated to be one of the major consumers of the product for use in the cosmetic applications, functional foods, ready-to-drink beverages, and other pharmaceutical drug industries. The industry in the region was valued at USD 107.2 million in 2016 owing to high demand in organic cosmetic formulations and pharmaceutical preparations for cancer treatment.

Beta-glucan Market Share Insights

The competition is largely concentrated in Europe with the presence of global and domestic players. Major players in the industry include Biotec Pharmacon ASA, Biothera Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Ceapro Inc, Super Beta Glucan Inc, DSM NV, Tate & Lyle Plc, AIT Ingredients, among others contribute to the large market share of the production.

The product manufacturing is carried out by large number of the companies based in the European region with Norway being the prime manufacturing country supplying to domestic market as well as exported to the global markets. The production volume for the industry illustrates a growing trend throughout the years owing to continuous demand, as its major end-user being health care industries based globally.

Report Scope

Segments covered in the report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional & country levels and provides an analysis on the industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global beta-glucan market on the basis of source, type, application, and region:

• Source Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • Cereal

  • Mushroom

  • Yeasts

  • Seaweed

• Type Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • Soluble

  • Insoluble

• Application Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • Food & Beverages

  • Personal Care & Cosmetics

  • Pharmaceuticals

  • Animal Feed

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • North America

    • The U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • UK

    • France

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • Japan

    • India

  • Rest of the World

    • Brazil