The market prospects of Nisin in green food production

As a natural preservative, Nisin boasts broad market prospects in green food production. A detailed analysis is as follows:

Sustained Growth in Market Demand

With the continuous improvement of consumers’ health awareness, demand for green food has been increasing. As a natural antimicrobial peptide, Nisin meets the requirements of green food for additives—"natural, safe, and residue-free"—driving the growth of its market demand. Data shows that the global nisin market size reached $235 million in 2024, with the Chinese market size hitting 440 million yuan. It is expected to grow to $260 million and 500 million yuan respectively in 2025.

Continuous Expansion of Application Fields

Currently, Nisin has been widely used in multiple food fields, including dairy products, meat products, canned foods, seafood, and beverages.

In meat products (e.g., sausages, ham), adding Nisin can extend shelf life and reduce the dosage of nitrite.

In dairy products (e.g., yogurt, cheese), it can inhibit the growth of spoilage microorganisms.

In fruit juice beverages, it can prevent the growth of Bacillus acidoterrestris and avoid acid spoilage.

With the deepening of research on Nisin, its application fields are likely to expand further to more food categories.

Production Technology Progress Drives Cost Reduction

In recent years, breakthroughs have been made in Nisin production technology. For example, the project led by Zhejiang Xinyinxian Bioengineering Co., Ltd. pioneered the "multi-stage membrane combined with solvent crystallization" technology, realizing large-scale production of high-purity Nisin. The product purity has been improved to over 99.5%, energy consumption has been reduced by 30% compared with traditional processes, and the production cost of Nisin has been cut by 40%. This has directly increased the purchasing willingness of downstream enterprises by 30%.

Policy Support and Improved Regulations

Many countries and regions around the world have recognized the safety of Nisin and formulated relevant application standards and regulations. In China, national standards for nisin have been established, including GB 1886.231 National Food Safety Standard - Food Additive Nisin and GB 2760 National Food Safety Standard - Usage Standards for Food Additives, which clearly define the application scope and maximum usage of Nisin in different foods. The improvement of these policies and regulations provides a guarantee for the legal and standardized use of Nisin in green food production, facilitating the healthy development of its market.

Obvious Trend of Replacing Chemical Preservatives

Traditional chemical preservatives such as sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate are facing increasing restrictions due to potential health risks. As a natural preservative, Nisin has advantages such as high-efficiency antibacterial activity, safety (non-toxicity), and easy degradability. It can replace some chemical preservatives to meet the needs of green food production, thus possessing strong competitiveness in the market.