Table of Contents
- Executive Summary: Key Market Drivers and 2025 Outlook
- Global Market Size and Forecasts Through 2028
- Cutting-Edge Testing Technologies: Advances and Applications
- Major Regulatory Updates and Compliance Requirements
- Leading Companies and Emerging Innovators
- Industry Use Cases: Food, Feed, and Beyond
- Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and ROW
- Challenges: Sample Complexity, Detection Limits, and Standardization
- Future Trends: AI, Automation, and Integration in Testing
- Strategic Recommendations and Investment Opportunities
- Sources & References
Executive Summary: Key Market Drivers and 2025 Outlook
The growing demand for food safety, regulatory compliance, and nutritional transparency is driving significant advancements in antinutritional ingredient testing as of 2025. Antinutritional factors—such as phytates, lectins, tannins, and enzyme inhibitors—can negatively impact nutrient absorption and pose health risks if present in high concentrations in food and feed products. As consumer awareness increases and global trade expands, stakeholders across the food, feed, and ingredient supply chains are prioritizing the detection and quantification of these compounds to ensure product quality and safety.
Key market drivers in 2025 include increasingly stringent regulations imposed by food safety authorities, such as limits on specific antinutritional factors in animal feed and plant-based foods. Regulatory bodies and industry organizations are collaborating to update testing standards and methodologies, reflecting advancements in analytical technology and the evolving understanding of these compounds’ impacts. For instance, the implementation of rapid, high-throughput techniques—such as mass spectrometry, ELISA, and near-infrared spectroscopy—has reduced turnaround times and improved accuracy in detecting antinutritional ingredients.
Major ingredient manufacturers and food safety testing providers are investing in research and infrastructure to expand their testing portfolios. Companies like Eurofins Scientific and SGS have introduced advanced analytical platforms tailored for antinutritional factor analysis, targeting both raw material screening and finished product validation. These services are critical for manufacturers of plant-based proteins, alternative dairy, and functional foods, as the push for clean-label and health-focused products intensifies.
In parallel, the adoption of digital solutions—such as laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and data integration platforms—is streamlining sample tracking and reporting, allowing for better traceability and compliance across global supply chains. This digital transformation supports companies in meeting the growing demands for transparency from regulators and consumers alike.
Looking ahead, the outlook for antinutritional ingredient testing remains robust through 2025 and beyond. The continued rise of plant-based diets, coupled with regulatory harmonization efforts across regions, will further expand the need for comprehensive testing solutions. Industry leaders are expected to continue investing in automation, artificial intelligence-assisted analytics, and collaborative research with industry bodies to further enhance sensitivity and throughput. As a result, the sector will play a pivotal role in safeguarding food and feed quality, supporting innovation, and building consumer trust worldwide.
Global Market Size and Forecasts Through 2028
The global market for antinutritional ingredient testing is experiencing sustained growth as the food and feed industries intensify efforts to ensure product safety, nutritional value, and regulatory compliance. Antinutritional compounds—such as phytic acid, lectins, tannins, protease inhibitors, and certain alkaloids—can adversely affect nutrient absorption and animal performance, prompting demand for robust analytical testing across the value chain. As of 2025, industry analysts and market participants indicate the sector is valued at approximately USD 1.2–1.5 billion globally, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6-8% through 2028, driven by regulatory tightening, rising consumer awareness, and the proliferation of plant-based proteins.
Testing services are witnessing increased adoption across regions with significant agricultural and feed production, including North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. Market leaders such as Eurofins Scientific and SGS continue to expand their analytical portfolios, offering advanced methods like high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and mass spectrometry to detect and quantify diverse antinutritional factors. The growing complexity of food ingredients, along with the expansion of novel proteins and alternative feedstocks, is fueling investment in R&D and laboratory infrastructure among established players and emerging regional laboratories.
Regulatory momentum is further stimulating market growth. For example, the EU’s updated regulations on feed and food contaminants and China’s increased scrutiny of imported plant-based ingredients are compelling manufacturers to implement regular and rigorous antinutritional testing. Industry bodies such as the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and the FEDIOL (EU vegetable oil and protein meal industry) are actively promoting analytical harmonization and best practice adoption, ensuring that testing standards remain aligned with evolving scientific knowledge.
Looking ahead, the antinutritional ingredient testing market is expected to see growing integration of automation, digital data management, and rapid test kits, improving efficiency and lowering costs for producers. Strategic partnerships between food manufacturers, technology providers, and testing laboratories are anticipated to accelerate the deployment of next-generation analytical solutions. As food systems become more globalized and diversified, robust antinutritional ingredient testing will remain a cornerstone of quality assurance and regulatory compliance through 2028.
Cutting-Edge Testing Technologies: Advances and Applications
The landscape of antinutritional ingredient testing is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by advancements in analytical technologies and the increasing demand for precision in food safety and quality assurance. In 2025, the use of high-throughput platforms and advanced spectroscopic techniques is becoming the standard for detecting and quantifying antinutritional factors such as phytates, lectins, tannins, and enzyme inhibitors in food and feed products.
Recent years have seen a shift towards more sophisticated chromatographic and mass spectrometric methods, enabling simultaneous detection of multiple antinutritional compounds with higher sensitivity and specificity. Companies such as Agilent Technologies and Thermo Fisher Scientific are leading the integration of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) systems tailored for comprehensive screening of complex matrices. These platforms facilitate rapid turnaround times, supporting the needs of both ingredient suppliers and food manufacturers in ensuring regulatory compliance and product safety.
Spectroscopic solutions, including Near-Infrared (NIR) and Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, are gaining traction for their non-destructive and real-time analysis capabilities. Bruker Corporation and PerkinElmer have introduced portable and benchtop instruments that allow on-site screening of raw materials for antinutritional factors, significantly reducing the need for time-consuming laboratory analysis. These advancements are particularly relevant for the feed and grain processing industries, where rapid quality assessment is critical.
Automation and digitalization are also reshaping laboratory workflows. Integrated systems featuring robotics and data management software are being adopted to streamline sample preparation and analysis, minimizing human error and boosting throughput. Sartorius AG and Mettler-Toledo are among the companies enhancing these workflows with solutions that improve efficiency and data traceability.
Looking ahead, the industry is expected to witness increased adoption of multi-omics approaches—combining genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics—to gain deeper insights into the occurrence and impact of antinutritional factors. Integration with artificial intelligence and machine learning is anticipated to further refine detection algorithms and predictive analytics, supporting proactive risk management for food and feed producers. As regulatory scrutiny intensifies and consumer demand for transparency grows, investments in cutting-edge antinutritional ingredient testing technologies are set to remain a focal point for innovation through the late 2020s.
Major Regulatory Updates and Compliance Requirements
The regulatory landscape for antinutritional ingredient testing is evolving rapidly, driven by growing awareness of food safety, international trade requirements, and consumer demand for transparency. In 2025, several key regulatory updates and compliance requirements are shaping how food and feed producers address antinutritional factors such as lectins, phytates, tannins, and trypsin inhibitors.
The European Union continues to lead with stringent regulations, particularly under the General Food Law (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002) and feed safety directives. Recent updates emphasize validated analytical methods and mandatory risk assessments for novel foods, plant-based proteins, and animal feed ingredients. The European Commission has reinforced requirements for comprehensive testing of raw materials and finished products, with a focus on detecting and quantifying antinutritional compounds to ensure consumer safety and protect animal health. Laboratories accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 are increasingly required to use validated assays for compliance, as noted by industry leaders such as Eurofins Scientific.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains oversight of antinutritional factors via its Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). The FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and associated guidance documents stipulate preventive controls and hazard analysis for known or reasonably foreseeable antinutritional risks in both human and animal food. The FDA’s increasing focus on plant-based ingredients in 2025 has led to heightened scrutiny of soy, pea, and other legume-derived proteins, prompting manufacturers to implement robust in-house or third-party testing regimes. Companies such as Neogen Corporation have expanded their validated test offerings for the U.S. market to support compliance.
Asia-Pacific markets, particularly China and India, are updating their food safety standards to align more closely with Codex Alimentarius and international best practices. China’s National Food Safety Standards and India’s Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) now require regular monitoring and reporting of antinutritional factors in imported and domestically produced foodstuffs, with inspection authorities increasingly seeking collaboration with global testing firms such as SGS.
Looking ahead, the regulatory outlook points toward harmonization of global standards, greater reliance on rapid testing technologies, and increased traceability through digital platforms. Companies investing in accredited laboratories, validated reference methods, and transparent reporting systems are poised to meet evolving compliance demands. Ongoing stakeholder engagement, including with recognized industry bodies like AOAC INTERNATIONAL, is expected to further shape guidance and best practices through 2025 and beyond.
Leading Companies and Emerging Innovators
The antinutritional ingredient testing sector is rapidly evolving as regulatory scrutiny increases and food producers seek to ensure the nutritional quality and safety of their products. In 2025, several established analytical instrumentation firms and specialized testing laboratories are leading the way, while new entrants and innovators are expanding capabilities in detection, quantification, and data analytics for antinutritional factors such as phytates, lectins, tannins, and enzyme inhibitors.
Globally, companies like Eurofins Scientific and SGS remain industry leaders in antinutritional ingredient testing services. These firms offer comprehensive analytical platforms, leveraging advanced chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques to detect a wide array of antinutritional compounds in raw materials and finished products. Their global reach and accreditation ensure that their testing methodologies meet the evolving standards required by regulatory bodies and major food manufacturers.
On the instrumentation front, Agilent Technologies and Thermo Fisher Scientific are at the forefront, supplying laboratories with state-of-the-art HPLC, GC-MS, and immunoassay systems optimized for sensitive and rapid detection of antinutritional factors. In 2025, these companies are focusing on automating workflows and integrating AI-driven data analytics, allowing for higher throughput and improved accuracy in routine testing environments.
Emerging innovators are making significant strides in rapid and on-site testing solutions. Startups and university spin-offs are developing biosensor-based assays and portable devices aimed at enabling real-time quantification of antinutritional ingredients, particularly for use in low-resource or field settings. These advancements are helping ingredient suppliers and food processors monitor quality during sourcing and processing, reducing the risk of antinutritional carryover into final products.
Additionally, ingredient producers such as Cargill and ADM are investing in collaborative research to refine antinutritional testing protocols, particularly as plant-based product portfolios expand. These efforts focus on tailored analytical methods for specific crop matrices and the development of reference materials for industry-wide standardization.
Looking forward, the sector anticipates further integration of digital platforms, cloud-based data management, and predictive analytics to streamline antinutritional ingredient monitoring. The convergence of established expertise from testing giants and nimble innovation from startups positions the industry to address rising regulatory demands and consumer expectations for transparency and nutritional assurance in global food supply chains.
Industry Use Cases: Food, Feed, and Beyond
Antinutritional ingredient testing is gaining increasing significance across food, animal feed, and allied sectors as new protein sources and functional ingredients expand in global markets. In food and feed, antinutritional factors (ANFs) such as phytates, lectins, tannins, and protease inhibitors can impair nutrient absorption, reduce digestibility, or even pose health risks. As of 2025, regulatory scrutiny and consumer demand for transparency are propelling the routine assessment of these compounds, especially in plant-based proteins, novel grains, and insect-derived ingredients.
In the food industry, major protein ingredient manufacturers like ADM and Cargill are integrating antinutritional testing into their quality assurance processes. This is particularly relevant for soy, pea, and faba bean proteins, as these sources can contain significant levels of trypsin inhibitors and phytic acid. Recent years have seen a shift toward not only removing or reducing these factors through processing but also certifying their absence or safe levels using advanced analytical methods. For example, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are now commonly employed in routine ingredient screening.
In the animal feed sector, companies such as Nutreco and DSM are actively engaged in antinutritional ingredient testing, especially as alternative protein meals (e.g., rapeseed, lupin, insect) are introduced to reduce reliance on traditional soy and fishmeal. These companies are establishing in-house laboratories and collaborating with third-party labs to monitor ANFs, ensuring optimal animal health, feed efficiency, and regulatory compliance. The adoption of rapid diagnostic kits is also expanding, facilitating on-site quality control in feed mills.
Beyond food and feed, antinutritional testing is being explored in sectors such as nutraceuticals and pet food, where ingredient safety and efficacy are paramount. Industry organizations, including the International Feed Industry Federation, are working to standardize testing protocols and set global benchmarks for acceptable ANF levels.
Looking ahead, the outlook for antinutritional ingredient testing is shaped by ongoing research into novel protein sources, such as microalgae and precision-fermented proteins, which may introduce new or previously uncharacterized antinutritional factors. The next few years are expected to see further automation and digitalization of testing workflows, driven by the need for faster, more sensitive, and cost-effective detection methods. As traceability and clean label claims become increasingly important, robust antinutritional testing will remain central to ingredient innovation and market acceptance across diverse industries.
Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and ROW
The antinutritional ingredient testing market is evolving rapidly across key global regions, driven by regulatory scrutiny, consumer demand for safe and high-quality food, and the rise of alternative protein sources. In North America, the United States and Canada maintain leadership in the development and deployment of sophisticated testing technologies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s continued updates to food safety protocols have spurred adoption of advanced analytical methods for detecting antinutritional factors such as lectins, phytates, and tannins. Major industry players in this region, including Thermo Fisher Scientific and PerkinElmer, are expanding their offerings to support rapid, high-throughput analysis, reflecting the growing needs of food, feed, and ingredient manufacturers.
In Europe, regulatory frameworks under the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the push for sustainable food systems have intensified focus on antinutritional ingredient testing, particularly in the plant-based sector. Countries such as Germany, France, and the Netherlands are investing in novel detection technologies to ensure compliance with EFSA’s stringent guidelines. Companies like Eurofins Scientific are at the forefront, offering comprehensive testing services that address both traditional and emerging antinutritional compounds, especially as the region witnesses increased adoption of pulses, legumes, and novel proteins in consumer diets.
Across the Asia-Pacific region, rapid industrialization of the food and feed sectors is coupled with a rising middle class demanding safer and more nutritious products. As countries like China, India, and Japan expand their production of alternative proteins and processed foods, regulatory agencies are increasing their oversight of antinutritional ingredient presence. Local and multinational companies such as Shimadzu Corporation are investing in technologies to meet this demand, including advanced chromatography and mass spectrometry platforms that enable sensitive detection of a wide range of antinutritional factors. Government initiatives to modernize food safety infrastructure in countries like India are expected to further drive regional market growth through 2025 and beyond.
In the Rest of the World (ROW), including Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa, there is a growing awareness of the health impacts of antinutritional compounds, particularly as local food production and exports rise. While infrastructure development and regulatory harmonization remain challenges, investment in laboratory capabilities is gaining pace. Partnerships with global technology providers and knowledge transfer initiatives are expected to accelerate market maturity in these regions over the next few years.
Looking forward, the global antinutritional ingredient testing market is expected to see continued regional differentiation, with North America and Europe leading in technology adoption and regulatory rigor, Asia-Pacific investing in capacity expansion, and ROW regions focusing on foundational infrastructure and training.
Challenges: Sample Complexity, Detection Limits, and Standardization
In 2025, the testing of antinutritional ingredients—compounds such as phytates, tannins, lectins, and trypsin inhibitors that can reduce nutrient availability—faces several significant challenges, primarily centered on sample complexity, detection limits, and standardization. The diversity of food matrices, ranging from raw agricultural commodities to processed functional foods, presents analytical hurdles due to the intricate interplay of antinutritional factors with other food components. This complexity often necessitates extensive sample preparation or matrix-specific methods, which can introduce variability and impact the accuracy and reproducibility of results.
Detection limits remain a critical concern, as the concentrations of antinutritional compounds may be low yet biologically significant. The sensitivity of conventional analytical techniques, such as spectrophotometry or enzyme inhibition assays, can be insufficient for certain matrices or trace-level detection. As a result, there is increasing adoption of advanced analytical platforms like liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which offer improved sensitivity but also demand skilled personnel and investment in sophisticated instrumentation. Companies specializing in analytical instrumentation, including Agilent Technologies and Shimadzu Corporation, continue to update their offerings to address such needs, with recent product lines emphasizing enhanced detection capabilities for complex food samples.
Standardization remains an ongoing challenge, with a lack of universally accepted protocols for the quantification of many antinutritional factors. This deficiency leads to difficulties in comparing results across laboratories, regulatory jurisdictions, and product types. International bodies, such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), are working toward harmonized assay protocols, but progress is gradual due to the diversity of analytes and food matrices involved. In parallel, leading ingredient suppliers and food manufacturers, such as Cargill and DSM, are collaborating with standard-setting organizations to pilot new methods and contribute to validation studies.
Looking ahead, the next few years are expected to bring incremental advances in both detection technologies and regulatory harmonization. The increasing focus on plant-based proteins and alternative ingredients will further drive the need for robust, standardized antinutritional ingredient testing. Industry stakeholders anticipate that automation, miniaturization, and digital data integration will play a greater role in overcoming existing challenges, supporting both food safety and nutritional quality objectives.
Future Trends: AI, Automation, and Integration in Testing
The landscape of antinutritional ingredient testing is poised for significant transformation in 2025 and the coming years, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and system integration. Food and feed manufacturers are increasingly investing in cutting-edge analytical technologies to enhance both the speed and precision of detecting antinutritional factors such as phytates, tannins, and lectins. These innovations address industry demands for improved quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and process efficiency.
AI is making rapid inroads into laboratory environments. Machine learning algorithms are being deployed to analyze large datasets generated by high-throughput screening systems, elevating the accuracy of antinutritional compound identification and quantification. For example, major players like PerkinElmer and Shimadzu Corporation are developing AI-powered analytical platforms that automate data interpretation, flag anomalies, and continuously refine testing protocols based on historical trends and real-time results. These capabilities are expected to reduce manual intervention, lower error rates, and accelerate turnaround times.
Automation is another key trend, with robotic sample preparation, handling, and processing systems gaining adoption in 2025. Companies such as Agilent Technologies and Thermo Fisher Scientific are expanding their portfolios to include fully integrated, automated testing lines for food laboratories. These systems streamline workflows from sample receipt to final reporting, enabling high-throughput screening of antinutritional ingredients while minimizing human contact and contamination risk.
Integration of disparate laboratory information management systems (LIMS), data analytics platforms, and testing instruments is also advancing. Interoperable platforms allow seamless data flow across different stages of the testing process, facilitating end-to-end traceability and compliance. Leading organizations in laboratory informatics, such as Waters Corporation, are focusing on interoperability and secure cloud-based data management, making it easier for companies to collaborate and share results across global supply chains.
Looking ahead, industry experts anticipate further convergence of AI, automation, and integration, with “smart labs” leveraging real-time data analytics and predictive modeling to optimize antinutritional ingredient testing. As regulatory scrutiny tightens and product complexity grows, these innovations are set to become standard practice, reshaping quality control paradigms in food and feed manufacturing through 2025 and beyond.
Strategic Recommendations and Investment Opportunities
The antinutritional ingredient testing market is poised for significant evolution through 2025 and the subsequent years, driven by tightening regulatory frameworks, advances in analytical techniques, and mounting consumer demand for transparency in food and feed safety. Strategic recommendations for stakeholders should focus on proactive adaptation to these market forces, ensuring both compliance and competitive advantage.
First, investment in state-of-the-art testing technologies is critical. The ongoing adoption of high-throughput screening tools, such as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and next-generation sequencing, allows rapid and precise detection of antinutritional factors like phytates, lectins, and tannins. Leading analytical instrumentation providers such as Agilent Technologies and Thermo Fisher Scientific are expanding their product ranges and applications in food safety, making partnerships or acquisitions in this space a forward-looking strategy.
Second, aligning product development and testing protocols with evolving regulatory requirements will be essential. Authorities in the European Union and North America are updating their guidelines on permissible levels of antinutritional factors in both human food and animal feed, with increased surveillance and stricter reporting. Engaging directly with recognized industry bodies such as the Association of American Feed Control Officials and the European Feed Manufacturers' Federation can provide early insights into regulatory changes, allowing companies to anticipate compliance needs and avoid costly disruptions.
Third, the market will increasingly reward transparency and traceability. Establishing robust documentation and digital traceability—leveraging blockchain or cloud-based laboratory information management systems (LIMS)—can differentiate suppliers and manufacturers. Companies like Bruker are developing integrated solutions for food analysis and data management, offering investment opportunities for those seeking to enhance testing reliability and auditability.
Finally, cross-sector collaborations will be vital for innovation and market reach. Joint ventures between ingredient suppliers, analytical labs, and technology developers can accelerate the validation and commercialization of novel testing methods. Strategic alliances with multinational food and feed producers, such as Cargill, can further scale adoption and drive broader industry impact.
In summary, targeted investment in advanced testing platforms, regulatory intelligence, digital infrastructure, and cross-industry partnerships will position companies to lead in the rapidly advancing antinutritional ingredient testing landscape through 2025 and beyond.
Sources & References
- SGS
- Association of American Feed Control Officials
- FEDIOL
- Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Bruker Corporation
- PerkinElmer
- Neogen Corporation
- ADM
- ADM
- Nutreco
- DSM
- International Feed Industry Federation
- Shimadzu Corporation
- International Organization for Standardization
- DSM
- European Feed Manufacturers' Federation