The food safety market - Italy

The global food safety testing market has been experiencing significant growth, with a forecasted CAGR of 7.8% from 2023 to 2032 as stated by Precedence Research. The market was valued at $21.47 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach $45.28 billion by 2032. The demand for food safety testing is driven mainly by the increasing awareness of health risks associated with contaminants like pathogens, chemicals, and toxins, alongside the intensification of food safety regulations worldwide. Microbiological testing is the dominant revenue-generating segment, with the pathogen testing market projected to reach $17.6 billion by 2025.

Geographically, Europe's market, valued at $5.1 billion, is projected to approach $7.2 billion by 2025. Italian consumer spending on food and beverages is expected to grow, with an outlay of $5.6 thousand per capita projected for 2027. Despite the growth, small businesses often face obstacles, particularly the high costs of testing and equipment, which may constrain market expansion.

Trends and Insights into Italy's Food Safety Testing Market

Italy's commitment toward ensuring food safety for its consumers is evidenced by both government and private sector initiatives to safeguard food quality from production to consumption. Technical testing and analysis, including crucial food safety checks, holds significant value in the Italian market, with production value reaching approximately 4 to 5 billion euros as of 2020. The demand for food safety testing is driven by factors such as foodborne diseases caused by over 250 pathogens, toxins, and increasing international exchange of products. In response, Italy witnessed a substantial number of food safety alerts, with mycotoxins leading the notifications, followed by metals and pesticide residues.

The Italian food safety testing market is showing a robust growth trajectory, with forecasts indicating a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of around 10 to 13% from 2020 through 2025. This growth is stimulated by stringent EU food safety regulations, heightened consumer awareness regarding food health benefits, and higher living standards. Despite this positive outlook, challenges such as lack of knowledge about food safety regulations among small Italian businesses pose potential roadblocks to market expansion. 

The Italian market reflects a strong preference for meat, bread and cereals, and vegetables, with consumers increasingly choosing foods based on freshness, taste, and quality. The Italian food safety testing market primarily consists of pathogen tests, pesticide and residue tests, among other contaminant checks. The market is noted to be fragmented, featuring large global entities and smaller-scale private laboratories. This structure has seen significant establishment and expansion of key international players within Italian borders. Furthermore, the legal landscape demonstrates that nearly half of the active enterprises involve sole proprietors, freelancers, and the self-employed, benefiting from favorable tax regimes and operational flexibility. From a supply chain perspective, HACCP certification underpins each stage of the agrifood supply chain to ensure the hygienic safety and edibility of food. The certification covers production, processing, warehousing, distribution, and retail, with targeted control measures and monitoring to mitigate risks. The HACCP certificate is mandatory for all actors involved in the food chain, foregrounding Italy's commitment to consumer health in the wake of increasing out-of-home food consumption.

Key Players in the Italian Food Safety Testing Market

The Italian food safety testing market is a vital segment of the nation's comprehensive approach to health and consumer protection. Several leading companies play pivotal roles in ensuring the safety and quality of food that reaches consumers' tables. These businesses offer a range of testing, certification, and quality control services that are critical in maintaining high standards in the food industry. While detailing their services and roles, we will keep the financial aspect aside and focus on the qualitative contributions they provide to the industry.

• Eurofins Biolab Eurofins Biolab is a part of the larger Eurofins Scientific group, a global leader in food, environment, and pharmaceutical products testing. In Italy, Eurofins Biolab stands out for its technical analysis of products, delivering a diverse suite of services aimed at ensuring the safety and compliance of food products. Their comprehensive testing capabilities range from microbiology, allergens, and GMOs to chemical and nutritional composition.
• Bureau Veritas S.p.A. Bureau Veritas is a renowned international entity known for its strong presence in the quality control and product certification sphere. In Italy, Bureau Veritas S.p.A. provides services that help businesses comply with food safety regulations and consumer expectations. Their certification process reassures consumers about the quality and safety of their food, also contributing to enhancing trust in brand names.
• Intertek Italia S.p.A. Intertek Italia S.p.A. stands as another critical service provider within the Italian food safety testing market. The company is dedicated to assuring product quality, safety, and sustainability. Their services extend across a wide array of food commodities, ensuring that all meet domestic and international food safety standards.
• DNV S.r.l. DNV offers a comprehensive range of services for the testing, certification, and risk management domains. In the context of food safety, DNV S.r.l. contributes by addressing each critical point along the supply chain with solutions that go beyond mere compliance, aiming to enhance food safety management systems in a holistic way.
• Valoritalia Specific to Italy, Valoritalia focuses on the quality control and certification of products with a specialization in wines and agricultural products. This organization plays a substantial role in preserving Italy's rich heritage of food products, lending authenticity and safeguarding standards that uphold both tradition and safety.

Inforamtion

• Number of pages : 30 pages
• Format : Digital and PDF versions
• Last update : 17/07/2023

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