Tartaric acid is an odorless white powder that is usually extracted from fruits such as tamarind, bananas, apricots, and grapes. The chemical is widely used as a raw material in wine manufacturing, baked foods, juices, and pharmaceutical applications.
Growing areas of applications of tartaric acid have caused it to be one of the most favored raw material for industries across the globe. In the wine industry, it is used to maintain the pH levels in wine, while in the bakery industry it is used frequently as an additive to make the products soft and fluffy. Tartaric acid is also employed as a food emulsifier, food preservative, and flavor enhancer and finds wide usage in the food industry.
Expansion Of The Tartaric Acid Market
Few of the various reasons behind the market growth of tartaric acid is an expansion of the global wine industry and growing gastric and heart ailments making the use of tartaric acid in the pharmaceutical industry more prevalent. Additionally, the expansion in the packaged foods industry is directly impacting the growth of tartaric acid market trends as the chemical is extensively used as a preservative.
Although the core manufacturing feedstock of tartaric acid is citric fruits, it is being increasingly manufactured from maleic anhydride. The European and Asia Pacific regions are observing a rise in the demand of tartaric acid. Various factors affect the supply and marketing of the chemical. Farming hazards that affect the production of grapes, apricots or bananas usually affect the production of tartaric acid and its global prices. According to experts, the price volatility of tartaric acid will remain for the coming few years.
Tartaric acid also finds applications in beauty and personal care products such as moisturizers, body and bath products, sunscreens as well as skin toners. It is also used as an effective cleansing agent which can be added to various make-up removal products and anti-aging products. An expansion in the beauty industry is owing to a rise in demands from buyers and end-users who are keen on developing customized products.
Factors Affecting The Emerging Trends In Global Tartaric Acid Market
Governments across the globe are posing restrictions on the free trade of tartaric acid. Newly developed synthetic tartaric acid has been proven to have side effects because of which various pressure groups across the globe are campaigning for product audits for cosmetic and food use. Excessive use of tartaric acid in food products increases the shelf-life of the product but is severely harmful to the consumer as it can induce diarrhea, dehydration and even gastronomical inflammation. A regular check on the tartaric acid percentage in food and beauty products is slowing down its market growth. This has led companies to rebrand and find tartaric acid alternatives which are less harmful to the human body by conducting mergers and acquisitions.
Along with Europe and North America, there is also a rise in the demand for tartaric acid from countries such as India, Japan, Brazil, and Argentina. The Middle East regions are also foreseeing a positive growth curve in products that use tartaric acid. Growing industrialization and urbanization coupled with environmentally sustainable development is governing the dynamics of the tartaric acid market across the globe.