Sodium Gluconate Market Assessment, By Grade [Food Grade, Industrial Grade, Pharma Grade, Others], By Application [Chelating Agent, Water Reducer, pH Adjuster, Stabilizer & Thickener, Superplasticizer, Others], By End-user [Food & Beverages, Personal Care

Sodium Gluconate Market Assessment, By Grade [Food Grade, Industrial Grade, Pharma Grade, Others], By Application [Chelating Agent, Water Reducer, pH Adjuster, Stabilizer & Thickener, Superplasticizer, Others], By End-user [Food & Beverages, Personal Care, Cleaners & Detergents, Feed & Pet Food, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Constructions, Others], By Region, Opportunities and Forecast, 2016-2030F

Global sodium gluconate market size was valued at USD 603.3 million in 2022, expected to reach USD 877.9 million in 2030, with a CAGR of 4.8% for the forecast period between 2023 and 2030. Sodium gluconate is a water-soluble compound produced by fermentation of glucose and is a sodium salt of gluconic acid. It possesses numerous unique characteristics which give it the advantage of being extensively used in various daily basis applications. Sodium gluconate eradicates the bitterness in flavored products and is extensively used in processed fruits, dairy products, vegetables, and preserved food products. As a chelating agent sodium gluconate has excellent properties like non-toxic, non-corrosive, and rapid biodegradability. Simultaneously, sodium gluconate functional properties exhibit as a thickener and stabilizer to enhance the quality and stability of food products.

The sodium gluconate is extensively used as a grade compound as it is substantially approved by various food-based government regulations like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC), Commission Regulation (EU), and other norms according to the country’s regulations. Its unique characteristic is it can be used as pH adjuster. Sodium gluconate has wider applications in pharma and nutraceuticals, such as syrup formation, cream, semi-solids, etc. As approved by the FDA, sodium gluconate is extensively used as a sequestrant for food and inert ingredients in non-food pesticide products. With decisive application in all essential commodities, sodium gluconate has excellent global market potential, which always tends to rise with the increasing consumption of products.

Sodium Gluconate in Construction Industry to Drive the Market

With the growing real estate sector, construction material is imperatively delivering its applications to build strength and robust infrastructure. Unique properties of sodium gluconate provide incredible characteristics for structural development in enhancing the construction industry. It substantially improves the concrete breaking strength, elasticity, and tensile strength, and increases the adhesiveness of the steel bar. In addition to such effective applications, it provides extensive cement and concrete setting time by avoiding the initial hydration of cement. By applying sodium gluconate, the durability performance of concrete such as anti-freezing and anti-carbonization can significantly be improved.

Concrete usually comprises cement aggregates, admixtures, and water and is prominently used in the building infrastructure. Sodium gluconate is progressively used as a superplasticizer, which reduces water to cement ratio (W/C), substantially enhances maneuverability and strength, and lowers cement content. Simultaneously, sodium gluconate can be used as retarder to optimize the clotting time and stabilizes phase structure of surface. With huge application of sodium gluconate in the construction industry, it has impeccable market opportunities to grow with the rise in real estate exponentially.

Regulations with Sodium Gluconate in Food and Beverages

The sodium salt of gluconic acid sodium gluconate is non-corrosive, non-toxic, and easily biodegradable, and its unique property to inhibit bitterness in food products extend its applications for food products. It is substantially used in baby food, infant formula, sauces, seasonings, meat alternatives, confectionery, cereals, snacks, etc. In addition to food products, it can be used in beverages like carbonated soft drinks, plant-based drinks, sports, and energy drinks.

The latest indispensable certification of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC), and Commission Regulation (EU) No. 231/2012 regulates the sodium gluconate as a food grade. Sodium gluconate is prominently registered as a generally permitted food additive (E576) in Europe and can substantially be added to all foodstuffs. In United States, sodium gluconate is recognized as safe (GRAS) under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and progressively can be used in food as sequestrant or nutrient supplement. Accompanying these regulations, according to the country’s norms, sodium gluconate has massive market potential for food and beverage products, increasing with the growing rise in these products.

Sodium Gluconate as Chelating Agent to Gain Traction for the Market

Sodium gluconate produced by the fermentation of glucose possesses excellent chelating properties, and can be used extensively as a chelating agent. Its unique configuration, where oxygen atoms are closely positioned in proximity within the structure, imparts functional characteristics as a highly chelating compound and gradually forms stable complexes with different ions, substantially preventing them from participating in any chemical reactions. Its application as a chelating agent can be extensively found in cement, plating, and alumina dyeing industries.

It can effectively work as a chelating agent over a wide range of pH values and effectively forms stable chelates with divalent and trivalent metal ions such as calcium, copper, aluminum, etc. While manufacturing industrial detergents sodium gluconate is extensively used as a complexing agent, where the addition to the solution reacts with calcium ions to form a soluble chelate compound—extending its chelating properties to the skin conditioning in cosmetic and personal care products. The market of sodium gluconate as a chelating agent is progressively growing which always generate excellent potential to expand globally.

Impact of COVID-19

The outbreak of COVID-19 has extremely aggravated the growth of various essential working sectors including construction and real estate. But surprisingly it has created huge potential for healthcare products as it developed concerns among consumers to use hygienic products in their daily routines to restrict COVID-19 virus.

Sodium gluconate, an essential ingredient used in the formulation of detergents and various household products substantially increased with the rise in demand of such goods. Similarly, the pandemic prominently increased the market of pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals accompanying the growth of sodium gluconate as its extensive usage in these products. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic the global market for sodium gluconate was growing effectively which encouraged more companies to invest and generate a huge market for sodium gluconate.

Impact of Russia-Ukraine War

The invasion of Russia on Ukraine has created unprecedented impact across various sectors leading to instability in sequential investment. The rising market of sodium gluconate was severely affected as enormous sanctions imposed by the Western countries, leading to shutdown of various manufacturing units that extensively use sodium gluconate. Due to the unique properties of sodium gluconate, it has applications in food and beverages, surfactants, constructions, etc. The surprised aggression has substantially rolled out the extensive production of sodium gluconate. But with the growing market commodities, the production of sodium gluconate resumed, creating huge global market potential.

Key Players Landscape and Outlook

The progressive enhancement of sodium gluconate usage in different essential products is driving the effective potential investment by various chemical manufacturing industries. Weifang Jianbao Biotechnology Co., Ltd. is one of the largest sodium gluconate production markets in China with annual capacity equivalent to 105, 000 MT. The products offered are highly pure and resemble white appearance and are EHS verified from microbio. Their manufactured sodium gluconate is extensively used as a superplasticizer and retarder in concrete. Addition of sodium gluconate admixture to the concrete can significantly enhance the plasticizing performance of the concrete along with reducing the water consumption in concrete and simultaneously improving the workability and strength.