The consumption of beverage acidulants closed in on 1.8 billion tonne in 2018. This was among the findings of a recent study, which estimated beverage acidulant consumption to expand at a modest four percent y-o-y (year-on-year) in 2019.
Over 64 percent of all the beverage acidulants consumed were synthetic in nature in 2018. Increasing emphasis on the shelf life of beverage products, combined with the precise concentration, required to be added in commercial formulations in the beverage processing industry could be attributed to the considerable demand for synthetic beverage acidulants across the beverage industry.
The study, which envisaged the beverage acidulants market to grow at a volume CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of four per cent through 2027, found that citric acid remained the most popular beverage acidulant.
Over 38 per cent of the beverage acidulant consumption in 2018 was held by citric acid. Citric acid is highly consumed in the beverage industry for its two primary features, as a flavour enhancer and as a preservative. Traditionally derived from citrus fruits, citric acid is commercially produced through the fermentation process.
Phosphoric acid is the second-most commonly used acidulant in the beverage industry. Phosphoric acid is particularly used in the production of soft drinks, including colas, wherein the biting harsh taste of phosphoric acid balances the sweetness of a drink. According to the study, the volume sales of phosphoric acid are likely to grow at four per cent in 2019 over 2018.
Acetic acid, fumaric acid and lactic acid are other highly-used beverage acidulants whose application in the beverage industry is growing at a rapid pace. Fumaric acid application in the beverage industry is expected to grow at over five per cent y-o-y in 2019.
Among different forms of beverage acidulants available in the beverage processing industry, powdered forms of beverage acidulants are highly consumed.
The study, which was based on a recent Future Market Insights (FMI) report, found that over 1.2 billion tonne of powdered beverage acidulants will be sold in 2019, accounting for nearly two-third of all forms of beverage acidulants consumed.
Citric acid, the first choice to be used as acidulants, and sometimes lactic acid are consumed in powdered form in the beverage industry.
The liquid forms of beverage acidulants are also used, and these forms held nearly 30 per cent of the beverage acidulants consumed in 2018. Phosphoric acid, acetic acid and lactic acid are few of the example of beverage acidulants used in their liquid form in the beverage industry.
According to the study, consumption of granular beverage acidulants is rising at a faster pace and growth at nearly six per cent is expected in 2019 over 2018.
