Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) Market Expected to Reach $332.6Million by 2028-Allied Market Research

According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, “Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) Market by Type, Application, and Distribution Channel: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021–2028,”the global human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) market size was valued at $125.9 million in 2020, and is estimated to reach $332.6 million by 2028, registering a CAGR of 14.1% from 2021 to 2028.

Human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) is a prebiotic that aids in the maintenance of human gut health. It stimulates bacterial growth, particularly in the Bifidobacteriagenus, which aids in metabolic activity. Owing to its antimicrobial and prebiotic properties, it can be used in a variety of foods, including pharmaceutical and medicinal foods as well as infant formulas.

HMOs are sugars, which are the third most abundant solid nutrients in human breast milk after lactose and fats. They improve and enhance infant health by promoting immune development, neurodevelopment, and digestion, and also have the potential to benefit adults. Some of the nutritional effects of HMOs found in human milk can be recreated by commercially manufactured HMOs.

Fermented HMO allows infant formula manufacturers to produce formula that is more similar to human milk than ever before, allowing formula-fed babies to benefit from these important components of breast milk. Human milk oligosaccharides serve a variety of primary functions, including infection prevention, prebiotic effects, and sialic acid supply for brain growth. Infant formula made from bovine milk, that is cow milk, contains less oligosaccharides than human milk. Ash MOs are beneficial to the micro biome and immunity, key players are researching and developing new techniques, such as extracting HMO from cow milk using expensive techniques, or even generating them using microbes.

The rapid evolution of consumer preferences is one of the key factors driving innovation in the food & beverage industry. At present, the current Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) market trends indicate that the demand for HMOs is expected to grow at a significant rate in the coming years, due to the steady rise in number of health-conscious people around the world as well as increase in awareness about the benefits of HMOs. Owing to rise in customer concerns about stable health and increase in the use of food supplements or dietary supplements, the Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) market has witnessed exponential growth.

Furthermore, over the last decade, a large number of players have gradually entered the global Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) market, resulting in the availability of HMOs with a wide range of nutritional content through a variety of distribution channels. Another factor that has contributed to the popularity of HMOs in recent years is the digital boom, which has seen brands continue to promote their products via online sales channels such as e-mail marketing, social media, and newsletters. While the global Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) market remains competitive, market participants are expected to concentrate on packaging, pricing, and marketing strategies to gain a competitive advantage in the current market landscape.

The Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) market segmentation is done on the basis of type, application, distribution channel, and region. By type, the market is categorized into2’FL, 3’FL, 3’SL, and 6’SL. The applications covered in the study include infant formula, functional food & beverage, and food supplements. According to distribution channel, the Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO )market is fragmented into hypermarkets & supermarkets, drug store or pharmacy, mass merchandiser, departmental stores, mono-brand stores, specialty stores, and online sales channel. Regionwise, it is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. In this way, Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) market analysis is done.

By type, the 2’FLsegment was the highest revenue contributor in 2020,due to the fact that the ability of 2'FL is to protect against infectious diseases by preventing toxins and pathogens from adhering to epithelial cells is well noticeable. Depending on application, the infant formula segment held the largest Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) market share, as HMOs' beneficial properties such as memory formation and cognitive performance help in the growth and development of infants. As per distribution channel, the drug stores or pharmacy segment led the Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) market. This is attributed to the fact that to drug store operators have emphasized convenience factors such as extended store hours and drive-through locations to attract and retain customers during increasing competition from mail-order retailers and supercenters.

Owing to global concerns about poor nutrition and premature death, the demand for HMO in infant formula is accelerating market growth. This is attributed to the fact that HMOsexhibit prebiotic properties, the potential to improve memory & brain growth, and a high nutritional value. This is also one of the Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) market opportunity. The ability of breast milk to protect babies from infection and allergic reactions is expected to positively impact the market size, as human milk appears to provide long-term protection against obesity, hypertension, inflammation, diabetes, and heart disease in humans.

The introduction of new products is expected to reduce the impact of specific diseases such as diabetes and indigestion. Some major manufacturers have already started to offer products in specific health and wellness categories, such as digestion and cognitive enhancement. This trend is expected to take center stage and gain significant traction in the rapidly expanding functional food & beverage market, as well as significant brand equity, during the Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) market forecast.

The third most abundant component of human milk is human oligosaccharides, which cannot be synthesized directly from human milk due to the donor group's scarcity. Currently, manufacturers use chemical and enzyme synthesis to produce human milk oligosaccharides. These methods necessitate a large investment of time and money, but the end result is relatively small.

For example, expensive substrates such as glycosyl-transferases necessitate enzyme synthesis, which is one of the primary reasons for the high price of human milk oligosaccharides. Prebiotics, such as fructooligosaccharides and galactooligosaccharides, are used in infant formula to prevent the growth of pathogenic Escherichia coli bacteria. Consumption of these has been shown to improve infant gastrointestinal tract health by promoting the development of specific microorganisms in the intestinal micro flora. Infant formula manufacturers use these as a substitute for HMOs due to their low cost and widespread availability. As a result, these functionally equivalent alternatives to HMOs are severely limiting market growth.

In 2020, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the global Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) market growth. Retail stores, malls, supermarkets, and other sales channels have been closed as a result of stringent lockdown imposed by governments around the world. During the lockdown, however, several brands have shifted their focus to e-commerce platforms to generate revenue and increase sales. Offline sales are increasing currently, as government lockdown restrictions are gradually being lifted in a number of countries.

Product launches, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, and geographical expansions are the key strategies adopted by players in the Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) industry. The key players operating in the Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) industry include Abbott Laboratories, BASF S.E., Biosynth Carbosynth, Chr. Hansen Holding A/S, Dextra Laboratories Ltd., Dupont Nutrition & Biosciences, Elicityl S.A., Glycom A/S, Glycosyn, Inbiose NV, Medolac Laboratories, Neolacta Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd, Nestle Health Science, Royal DSM, and ZuChem.

Key findings of the study

• The global Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) market was valued at $125.9 million in 2020, and is projected to reach $332.6 million by 2028, registering a CAGR of 14.1% from 2021 to 2028.
• Europe was the highest revenue contributor, accounting for $45.3 million in 2020, and is estimated to reach $124.1 million by 2028, with a CAGR of 14.6%.
• By type, the 2'FL segment was the highest contributor to the market, with $42.3 million in 2020, and is estimated to reach $120.6 million by 2028, at a CAGR of 14.6% during the forecast period.
• On the basis of application, the infant formula segment was the highest contributor to the market, with $67.9 million in 2020, and is estimated to reach $191.7 million by 2028, at a CAGR of 14.5% during the forecast period.
• In Europe, the UK was the highest revenue contributor with $12.5 million in 2020, and is estimated to reach $37.5 Million by 2028, registering a CAGR of 15.4%.