Food Safety Testing Market to Reach $37B by 2031
A new market report forecasts the global food safety testing industry will grow at a 7.5% compound annual growth rate to reach $37.13 billion by 2031. The growth is attributed to rising awareness of foodborne risks, stricter regulations, and the increasing complexity of the global food trade. In 2025, North America accounted for nearly 34% of the market's revenue.
- Pathogen testing accounts for the largest share of the market, as bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria are primary causes of foodborne illnesses. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that contaminated food causes 600 million illnesses and 420,000 deaths annually. - The meat, poultry, and seafood category represents the most tested food segment due to the high risk of microbial contamination. For example, the CDC has identified chicken as a major contributor to Salmonella illnesses. - While traditional lab methods are still widely used, rapid testing technologies like Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) are the fastest-growing segment, significantly reducing the time needed to detect contaminants. PCR-based assays are noted for their high accuracy and sensitivity in identifying specific DNA sequences of pathogens or other contaminants. - Key companies in the competitive food safety testing landscape include Eurofins Scientific, SGS S.A., Bureau Veritas, and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., which operate global networks of testing laboratories. - Beyond pathogens, testing for chemical contaminants like pesticide residues, heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic), and industrial chemicals such as PFAS is a critical market component. Regulatory bodies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set maximum permissible limits for these substances in food products. - The implementation of stricter regulations, such as the FDA's Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in the United States, is a major driver for the market, shifting the focus from responding to contamination to preventing it.
