Glutamic Acid Market Size & Share Analysis - Trends, Drivers, Competitive Landscape, and Forecasts (2025 - 2032)

Glutamic Acid Market Trends and Growth Drivers

Surging Consumption of Ready-to-Eat Food Drives Market

• The biggest driver for the glutamic acid market is the growing consumption of ready-to-eat food.
• Such food products are ultra-processed and contain an array of preservatives, stabilizers, and flavoring agents so they can spend long times on supermarket shelves and still be instantly eatable.
• One key ingredient in many of these products, especially cup noodles, is glutamic acid and its salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG).
• As per studies, in 2023, 120.2 billion cup noodle servings were devoured around the world, reflecting a massive demand for MSG and its base acid.
• Both are used to enhance the flavor of the dish by stimulating the taste buds. This is why apart from instant noodles, they are added to poultry and meat dishes, especially the fast food available at well-known chains, such as KFC and McDonald’s.
• Further, these agents are added to ready-to-eat soups, chips and snacks, seasonings and spice blends, and frozen meals.
• Another advantage MSG offers here is its ability to compensate for some of the salt content, which enables companies to offer low-salt and low-sodium dishes.

Health Risks of Glutamic Acid and MSG Hamper Market Growth

• The market growth is restrained to some extent by the health risks associated with glutamic acid and MSG.
• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received several reports of the ill-effects of food products containing these flavoring agents.
• Common complaints include sweating, headache, flushing, tightness, numbness, and tingling in certain body parts, tachycardia and arrhythmias, nausea, angina, and weakness.
• Further, excessive intake of glutamic acid over long periods is hypothesized to cause slow metabolism in children, causing problems with growth.
• Additionally, pregnant and breastfeeding women are discouraged from consuming MSG, which can further hamper the growth of the market.

Glutamic Acid Market Analysis

Application Insights

• The food and beverage application was the largest revenue contributor to the market, with a revenue share of ~55% in 2024.
• This is because glutamic acid is widely utilized as a taste enhancer in this application.
• For instance, monosodium glutamate (MSG), a glutamic acid molecule, is commonly used to improve the flavor of canned vegetables, soups, salad dressings, carbohydrate-based snacks, processed meat, and dairy goods.
• Moreover, the growing popularity of ready-to-drink beverages and convenience food around the world is predicted to fuel the glutamic acid market demand.
• The need for these products is likely to rise as living standards and economic development in emerging nations such as India and China improve.
• Furthermore, the rising popularity of energy drinks is also likely to have a positive impact on the market growth in the food and beverage category.
• The pharmaceutical category is expected to witness the fastest growth, at a CAGR of more than 7.61%, during the forecast period.
• Advantageous government policies and increased private investment are likely to drive the pharmaceutical business, which, in turn, is expected to improve the sales of glutamic acid in the future.
• Moreover, the acid is used in pharmaceutical applications to avoid nerve damage during chemotherapy and to treat a variety of disorders, such as muscular dystrophy, epilepsy, cognitive and behavioral difficulties, and neurotransmission imbalances, in individuals.
• Also, this product is commonly used as an antiulcer medication and has recently acquired popularity in gastrointestinal therapy.
• The acid is further employed in a range of supplement formulations because it aids in detoxification and athletic performance, improves cognition, and aids in the formation of protein building blocks in the body.
• Furthermore, the animal feed category accounted for a significant market share. Glutamic acid is utilized in animal feed because it promotes animal development, reproduction, health, antioxidative response, and immunological system.
• Consumers' growing understanding of nutritional requirements for animals, together with the increased need for quality and high production of feed, is likely to stimulate the demand for this acid in animal feed application during the forecast period.

The report scope covers the following applications:

• Food & Beverages (Largest Category)
• Pharmaceuticals (Fastest-Growing Category)
• Animal Feed

Glutamic Acid Market Geographical Outlook

The APAC market is the largest with ~45% revenue share in 2024, and it is expected to witness the highest CAGR, of 8.01%, during the forecast period. This can be ascribed to the rising use of glutamic acid in the food and beverage industry, increasing consumer use of organic edible products, and surging consumption of poultry products in the region. In addition, it is expected that the rising adoption of pets in households across many nations would increase the demand for pet edibles, which, in turn, will increase the use of this acid in the pet feed application.

Furthermore, due to the large population of livestock, the need for animal-eatable products is expected to increase in nations like China and India. Pork and poultry have become the most popular livestock products in APAC, as a result of the growing preference for animal-based products, such as meat, in local cuisines.

North America has a significant share in the market. The rising demand for pharmaceuticals in the region is predicted to be the main driver of glutamic acid consumption. The region's need for pharmaceutical products, including dietary supplements, is being driven by factors such as the rise in the elderly population and the increase in cases of non-communicable diseases like chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Thus, it is projected that the rising demand for medicinal items will facilitate the use of such acid. Moreover, the growing animal feed and additive manufacturing industries will have a favorable impact on acid consumption in North America.

In addition, the European market is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period, owing to the region's thriving pharmaceutical industry, which is expected to benefit from the surging use of pharmaceutical drugs and supplements, the growing aging population, and the rising health consciousness among people of the region. Also, the demand for the acid is projected to be driven by the substantial presence of pharmaceutical manufacturers and their growing emphasis on creating cutting-edge pharmaceutical items.

Moreover, the cosmetics and personal care industries are further predicted to generate significant demand for this acid in Europe. Supplements based on glutamic acid in the region are projected to rise, as a result of changing consumer preference toward dietary supplements due to the surging health concerns.

In addition, the increasing consumption of animal feed and the expanding agricultural activities are predicted to drive the LATAM market. Also, the demand for ready-to-eat food and beverages is projected to increase, as a result of evolving consumer eating habits, altering lifestyle trends, and beneficial regulatory developments in the area. Furthermore, the use of high-end products like carbonated beverages, sweets, and bakery goods among others is projected to be driven by the consistent economic expansion along with the increase in the number of middle- and high-income customers in nations like Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

Additionally, over the course of the forecast period, glutamic acid's rising need in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and supplement industries is a major factor driving the MEA market growth. The shift in consumer preference toward packaged meals and drinks along with government initiatives to boost the food and beverage sector in the region is projected to increase the demand for such acid. Moreover, the MEA's animal husbandry industry is benefiting from the surging need for dairy products and expanding need for poultry goods, which, in turn, results in the MEA glutamic acid market growth.

The below-mentioned regions and countries have been analyzed:

• North America
  • U.S. (Larger and Faster-Growing Country Market)
  • Canada
• Europe
  • U.K. (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Germany (Largest Country Market)
  • France
  • Spain
  • Italy
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia-Pacific (APAC) (Largest and Fastest-Growing Regional Market)
  • China (Largest Country Market)
  • India (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Australia
  • Rest of APAC
• Latin America (LATAM)
  • Brazil (Largest Country Market)
  • Mexico (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Rest of LATAM
• Middle East and Africa (MEA)
  • Saudi Arabia (Largest Country Market)
  • South Africa
  • U.A.E. (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Rest of MEA

Glutamic Acid Market Share

The glutamic acid market is fragmented as a large number of global, regional, and small, local firms produce this chemical. These companies use various methods to produce this chemical, which result in varying yields and cost-effectiveness of operations. Additionally, while large-scale end users normally buy from established companies in bulk, smaller-scale users often tap local players for niche applications. Further, there is no patent om this chemical, which is why any company can produce it, provided it meets the safety regulations.

Glutamic Acid Market News

• In September 2024, Ajinomoto Co. Inc. demonstrated its electrical stimulating technology, jointly developed with researchers at Ochanomizu University and The University of Tokyo. In experiments, this technology showed an enhancement in the salt and umami taste of low-salt food products.
• In March 2024, Aralez Bio, a startup based in San Francisco, unveiled its new enzyme platform that can create diverse amino acids.