United States Food Allergen Testing Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

The US food allergen testing market is projected to register a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period (2020-2025).

Key Highlights

• The eight major food allergens responsible for most of the serious food allergy reactions in the United States are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, and crustacean shellfish. Milk, eggs, and peanuts account for the majority of the allergic reactions in young children, and peanuts, tree nuts, and seafood (fish and crustacean shellfish) account for the majority of the reactions in teenagers and adults.
• Furthermore, experts consider sesame allergy to be an emerging concern, as sesame has been noted to have caused severe reactions, including fatal anaphylaxis, among the people in the country.

Key Market Trends

Increasing Demand for Allergen-free Food

Free-from foods do not contain ingredients, such as wheat, dairy products, gluten, soy, peanuts, and others, which fall under the category of food allergen. A large market exists for allergen-free, gluten-free, and lactose-free foods. The food companies have seen growth in the area of peanut-free and other school lunch-friendly items that protect allergic individuals and provide a trusted source of safe food. Allergen-friendly products require crystal clear package, labeling, and consistent information on the manufacturer's website. The brands offering these products continually perform allergen tests to verify that their food products uphold the stringent standards, and the companies in the country also perform allergen testing on the raw materials that they procure.

Immunoassay-based/Elisa Segment Holds the Largest Market Share

The primary detection technique utilized in any food allergen testing lab is the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Antibodies similar to the one in the immune system are used to detect the presence of food allergens. Thus, allergen-specific antibodies are used to form the basis of the test kits that are available in the market. This test is widely utilized by food processors, to monitor and control potential allergen contamination during the production process. ELISA kits are available in robust and rugged formats, which make them suitable for processing facilities.

Competitive Landscape

The US food allergen testing market is still a moderate one, in terms of the overall food testing infrastructure and service solutions offered, which are niche. Eurofins, being a leader in the food safety testing market, has a wide range of services for food allergen tests using ELISA and PCR. Eurofins entered the Hungarian market for food and feed testing, with the acquisition of Food Analytica Group, thereby, expanding its market share. The other major testing service providers include Intertek and Merieux Nutrisciences.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support