fructose market is predicted to reach USD ~11.54 billion at a CAGR of ~3.46% during the forecast period 2022 to 2030.

Fructose Market Highlights

According to the MRFR analysis, The global fructose market was valued at USD 8.54  billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 11.54 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 3.46%.

Fructose is a member of a group of carbohydrates known as monosaccharides or simple sugars. Fructose occurs majorly in fruits, honey, and syrups, along with some vegetables. As fructose is majorly found in fruits, it is also called fruit sugar. It is a component of the disaccharide sucrose or common table sugar. Crystalline Fructose is used in the food industry for enhancing the taste of products. It is also used in energy drinks, flavored water, and low-calorie beverages. Fructose also has applications in the manufacturing of nutrition bars, soft moist cookies, and reduced-calorie snack products. Additionally, fructose is a component of personal care products because of its capacity to bind water, which helps the skin stay hydrated and moisturized. In addition to adding moisture to the skin, fructose can aid in promoting the creation of collagen, which fights against the bonds that get weaker and less dense with age and restores the flexibility and softness of the skin. Additionally, fructose is used in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical goods. It is a substrate highly valued by medicines producers.

One of the key drivers for the worldwide market is the increasing awareness of sugar substitutes among consumers. However, excess consumption of fructose may lead to health issues that may limit growth. Hence, the growing technological innovation in the food processing sector options growth opportunities for players operating in the fructose market during the forecast period.

COVID-19 Impact on Fructose Market

The worldwide rise of COVID-19 led to a global crisis that began as a global issue. The epidemic, which is impacting several countries all over the world, has already had an effect on the international economy and is likely to generate turmoil and prompt a worldwide crisis. The commodity market has had several effects as a result of this epidemic. However, various plans were taken by the government bodies in various regions worldwide to recover the country from post-pandemic. The production of fructose starts with the procurement of raw materials, which includes fruits, sugar, beet, and honey. With barriers to cross-border transportation of commodities due to the pandemic, fructose manufacturers have become dependent on local raw material suppliers, resulting in increasing the bargaining power of suppliers. The pandemic breakout has induced worry among consumers and sparked a panic purchasing situation. Consumer panic buying has escalated as a result of retail outlets' temporary shutdown to stop the virus's spread, which has caused people to stockpile necessities like food.  The global production of fructose has been hampered by the lack of raw resources. However, because of widespread medical surveillance, the pandemic's deteriorating effects have slowed down.  resulting in increased market supply and demand for food goods.

The epidemic has halted the whole value chain, from the acquisition of raw materials through production, packaging, and distribution, as well as the worldwide supply chain.  The outbreak has negatively impacted the entire supply chain in the food and beverage industry. Even though there is a huge demand for fructose worldwide, supermarkets, hypermarkets, and convenience stores experienced major shortages of key products. Lockdown restrictions have increased transportation trouble, resulting in the untimely delivery of raw materials required to produce fructose. The increased raw material cost of the ingredients and production cost has surged the overall pricing of fructose. The pandemic's disruption of the supply chain drove up the cost of basic materials. These inflated prices caused the final pricing of the end product. However, the pandemic resulted in the panic buying of these necessary food products, which has helped in adverse demand while covid-19 pandemic. For instance, according to government statistics, the inflation rate regarding the wholesale price index in India will be around 10.7. These further states the hiked prices of food products.

Competitive Landscape

The worldwide fructose market is fragmented, with both organized and unorganized industrial participants present.  The key players in the global Fructose Market are focusing on growth strategies such as innovation in products and developing technologies on a global level to gain a maximum share of the global market. The key players operating in the global Fructose Market include Cargill, Incorporated (US), Ingredion Inc. (US), Tate and Lyle (UK), Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) (US), Südzucker AG (Germany), Global Sweeteners Holdings Limited (Hong Kong), Roquette Freres (France), Galam Ltd (Israel), Shijiazhuang Huaxu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd (China), NOW Foods (US), and Others.

Segmentation

By Source

• Sugarcane: Sugarcane contains both glucose and fructose as its chemical components. Commercially fructose is produced from the processing of sugar cane juices, sucrose, and molasses. With the help of an enzymatic process, fructose is obtained from sucrose industrially. From sugar cane juice, the solids are hydrolyzed to glucose and fructose, from which fructose is separated using ion exclusion, or sometimes it is converted from glucose to gluconate which in enzymatically hydrogenated to fructose.


• Sugar Beet: Sugar beet is a root vegetable plant commonly grown in cold climates, produces sugar naturally, and is majorly composed of sucrose. Sugar is derived from the plant’s roots and has higher nitrogen content than the sugar derived from sugar cane which might affect a range of factors in processing steps. Fructose has been obtained from the sugar beet plant and sugar beet molasses. Commercially, fructose is obtained from sugar beet molasses with the help of enzymes. Sugar beet is considered highly sustainable as most of the parts are used to produce various products including sugar, manure, bioethanol, animal feed, etc. Owing to multiple benefits, sugar beet production is expected to increase significantly in the upcoming years which is anticipated to fuel the growth of the segment.


• Corn: Corn is one of the major sources used in the preparation of high fructose corn syrup and is manufactured from corn starch which gets converted to glucose that is then partially hydrolyzed to fructose. The enzymes including isomerases and tetrameric metalloenzymes are used in industries for corn-based fructose manufacturing. The manufacturing of fructose from corn involves milling of starch, liquefication, filtration & decolorization, isomerization, filtering & refining, and evaporation. High fructose corn syrup has several health implications like diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemia, etc. which have been impacting the growth of the segment negatively.


• Others: The other segment includes sources like rice, cassava, apple, and sweet potato. Compared to traditional sources like sugarcane, sugar beets, and corn, fructose production from other sources is very minimal. Broken rice is hydrolyzed to produce fructose syrup and has sweetness compared to sucrose. Rice-based fructose syrup has a minimum fructose content of 40% and a maximum of 90% and is considered a healthy alternative sweetener to high fructose corn syrup. It also Sources the role of a bulking agent in addition to sweetening. Research study suggests that sources like apple have higher fructose content in addition to malic acid and other phenolic compounds, making them a suitable choice for industrial applications.

By Product

• High Fructose Corn Syrup: High fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a liquid sweetener is one of the most commonly used fructose ingredients that are available in various levels of fructose content of 42%, 55%, and 90% referred to as HFCS 42, HFCS 55 and HFCS 90, respectively. The remaining content of HFCS is made up of glucose, thus it is also alternatively referred to as fructose-glucose syrup. Out of all the isoglucose syrups, HFCS 55 is one of the most commonly used, with major applications in soft drinks. The least sweet glucose-fructose syrup, HFCS 42, finds its application in baked goods and fruit-flavored non-carbonated beverages.


• Fructose Syrup: Fructose syrup is a sweetener that is made from starch which is initially converted to dextrose that is subsequently converted to fructose by the process of enzymatic ionization. It is used in various applications as a sweetening agent in carbonated beverages, fruit beverages, condiments, and savories. The fructose syrup contains a minimum of 95% of fructose content and the remaining content is made up of maltose, dextrose, and other higher saccharides. The fructose syrup has higher sweetness compared to conventional sugar and is generally colorless. Presently it is also used in the commercial production of boba tea as a sweetener, owing to its greater solubility in the drink. The increasing popularity of boba tea across the globe due to the rising content of boba tea in social media is expected to drive the growth of the segment during the forecast period.


• Fructose Solid: Fructose solids also called fructose crystalline and are made up of fructose completely without any other sugar compounds like dextrose, glucose, or any other saccharides. Fructose crystalline by characteristic does not get converted to acid in oral, thus inhibiting the development of any dental caries. They have a less glycemic index with a sweetness potency approximately in the range of 1.2 to 1.8 times that of sucrose and help in masking the off flavors due to sugar-reducing ingredients. Similarly, fructose solids have a negligible impact on blood glucose, as they are often used as a sweetener for people with diabetes condition. The fructose solid finds its application in cosmetics apart from food & beverages as a humectant. The increasing demand for sugar reducing ingredients including fructose is expected to drive the growth of the segment.

By Form

• Powder: The powder form of fructose comprises dry fructose that is crystalline fructose and has a lesser moisture content in levels lesser than 0.05%. The powder form of fructose contains higher levels of fructose in the range of 99.5% or more and can be used in smaller amounts to achieve a higher level of sweetness. The fructose powder tends to slow down the crystallization process in ice cream along with reducing the sugar content, making it a better choice for sugar reduction in frozen desserts. Owing to the high sweet flavor without overpowering the product’s taste, the powder form is also used in formulating healthy bakery and beverage products with less level of traditional sugar content. The increasing demand for reduced sugar products across various countries with government initiatives and shifting consumer preferences is anticipated to fuel the growth of the segment.


• Liquid: Liquid fructose consists of high fructose corn syrup and fructose syrup. The liquid form has higher moisture content than the powder form at a range of 22% to 24%. It also has a lesser fructose content approximately a minimum level of 92.5%. Whenever the liquid form is used in many applications, the water content needs to be altered accordingly as they add additional water to the product through its moisture content. Compared to the powder form the liquid form has easy mixability in beverage products.

By Application

• Food & Beverages: The food & beverage sector is the leading user of fructose in various products. Sugars are one of the key ingredients of a range of food & beverage products and have several properties including palatability, flavor, texture, mouthfeel, volume, color, etc. making them an indispensable part of product development. Fructose similar to sugar plays several roles in food & beverage products’ physical and Surreal characteristics including freezing-point depression, humectant, and sweetness among other attributes. Fructose as a sweetener also helps in balancing the off flavors. One of the key characteristics that make it widespread use in food & beverage product is the low GI implying it does not spike insulin levels in the blood.


• Pharmaceutical: Fructose is used in pharmaceutical formulations that cater to the treatment of chronic alcoholism, diabetes, and pregnancy vomiting. Fructose in the pharmaceutical trade is used as a sweetening agent, dissolution enhancer, flavoring agent, and tablet diluent. Owing to the rapid sweetness response of fructose in the mouth compared to sucrose and dextrose is used in the formulation of tablet drugs and it also helps in masking the vitamin or mineral flavors. It is also used as a sweetening coating agent on chewable tablets, medical gums, and lozenges and makes pharmaceutical formulations more palatable. The other characteristic property of fructose that comes as an advantage in pharmaceutical formulations is lyoprotectants, cryoprotectant, solubility, and the ability to adjust osmolarity.


• Cosmetics & Personal Care: The use of fructose is used very minimally in the cosmetic industry. It is used in skincare products that help in keeping skin healthy and hydrated like sugar scrubs, with the help of its humectant property. Also, the ingredient’s ability to inhibit moisture loss from skin and ability to continue at a solid state even at warm skin temperature, makes it ideal for use in cosmetic products production. Moreover, fructose works well against skin redness and stress and also helps in making the skin look smooth & luminous. Eye makeup products, face powders, concealers, moisturizers, elderly cosmetics, etc. are a few of the cosmetics that use fructose.


• Others: The other segment consists of nutraceutical and animal feed. In animals, feed fructose is used for providing energy, and commonly crystalline fructose is used. Similar to fructose use in pharmaceuticals, fructose is used for masking the off flavors in the nutraceuticals along with sweetening the product including medicated gummies. The increasing use of nutraceuticals for a healthy lifestyle is expected to drive the growth of the segment.

By Distribution Channel

• Online: Online distribution of fructose refers to sales through e-commerce websites such as Amazon, Wholefoods Online, HSN store, etc. E-commerce is the term used to describe the sale of products and services over the Internet. E-commerce sales comprise both online purchases made through brick-and-mortar firms' websites and those made through pure-play e-tailers' (retailers that only conduct business online) websites. Owing to the convenience provided by online sales channels, both B2B and B2C buyers are increasingly resorting to online sales channel. Discounts offered by the online sales channel are considered an additional benefit for B2C consumers. According to MRFR analysis, the growth in the home-baking post the COVID-19 outbreak is expected to drive the growth of the segment, as home bakers are finding ways to cut expenses given the recession fears in addition to substituting sugar with healthy alternatives like fructose.


• Offline: Offline sales channel refers to traditional brick-and-mortar retail sales and business-to-business transactions. Fructose is majorly used by various industrial manufacturers including food & beverages, pharmaceutical, cosmetics & personal care industries among others and it is also used by some bakery retailers. Trade of fructose between these manufacturers and fructose ingredient suppliers is considered a business-to-business transaction. The growing government’s and regulatory bodies' initiatives like the sugar tax, front-of-the-package labeling, etc. to reduce sugar consumption across the globe are driving the demand for fructose ingredients among food & beverage manufacturers which are anticipated to drive the growth of the segment. Also, the use of fructose in domestic cooking and baking is driving the growth of the segment comprising supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience stores, and grocery stores.

By Region

• North America: North America region includes the US, Canada, and Mexico. The World Health Organization (WHO) has taken several initiatives to regulate sugar consumption and reduce sugar intake. In 2015, it issued a new guideline for the reduction of sugar intake in the total energy intake among the population category adults and children to less than 10%. The target limit was set with an aim to reduce the risk of tooth decay, obesity, and being overweight, based on scientific analysis. Banking on additional health benefits, WHO has issued a conditional recommendation of daily sugar intake reduction by twenty-five grams or an equivalent of six teaspoons a day. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention data highlights that presently an average American adult man consumes nineteen teaspoons of sugar, whereas an average woman consumes fifteen teaspoons of sugar and excessive sugar consumption has resulted in several diseases including weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and tooth decay. Given the above-stated factors, many states in the US have implemented several steps like the sugar tax; National Salt and Sugar Reduction Initiative; National Strategy on hunger, nutrition, and health; etc. which have made the food and beverage manufacturers reduce the sugar levels in the products. This is expected to drive the growth of the fructose market in the region. In addition, the rising sugar prices over the years and the continued government’s support for corn production have fueled the use of high fructose corn syrup in food & beverage products.


• Europe: Europe region consists of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal, Austria and Switzerland, the UK and Ireland, Benelux, Nordics, Central and Eastern Europe, and Southern Europe. The report named “Incentives and disincentives for reducing sugar in manufactured foods – An exploratory supply chain analysis” published by WHO highlighted, that European consumers are incorporating elevated levels of sugar in their diets. It stated that the average sugar consumption of the UK and Denmark's young population is forty grams a day. Cakes, soft drinks, chocolates, biscuits, and pastries are some of the key sources of this excessive sugar. This excessive sugar consumption results in several health issues, for instance, the WHO estimates highlighted that out of all the regions, WHO Europe is the most affected region by non-communicable diseases and an unhealthy diet is one of the contributing factors to such diseases. To overcome these health implications, the European Union (EU) and the countries in the region are engaged in several initiatives to reduce sugar consumption significantly.


• Asia-Pacific: The Asia-Pacific region consists of China, India, Japan, Australia & New Zealand, and the Rest of Asia-Pacific. Around 227 million people in Asia-Pacific are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and 50% among them are not aware of the long-term implications of the disease, stated the managing director of BENO, Asia Pacific in the Food & Beverage Asia magazine. However, consumers are shifting to healthy lifestyle habits, the article further elaborated that the survey conducted among Singapore consumers has highlighted that around 66.67% of them are inclined towards adopting a healthier lifestyle and consumption habits. This trend is further fueled by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, making consumers conscious of the ingredients in food and drink products.


• Rest of the World: The rest of the world segment comprises South America, the Middle East, and Africa. The trend of better-for-you and sugar reduction is fueling the usage of sugar-reducing ingredients like fructose in South America. This is a result of various government initiatives like the front of the package labeling indicating the level of sugar in processed food & beverage products in Ecuador and Peru; the imposition of a higher tax on sugary beverages in Chile; and the signing of a group of beverage associations sugar reducing agreement with the Ministry of Health in Brazil. Similar were the trends in Africa and other Middle East countries, for instance, South Africa introduced Health Promotion Levy on sweetened beverages an amount of 2.1 cents on each additional gram over and above 4g of sugar per 100ml.