2023 Antioxidant industry forecast will gradually upgrade to safety, high-end, diversified and natural direction

At present, China has reached or approached the advanced level of foreign countries in the field of general antioxidants, such as 1010, 1076, 168 and other products, the performance and indicators can basically meet the demand of polyolefin market, and the domestic competition is relatively full. However, in the field of specialized antioxidants, there is still a certain gap between local enterprises and overseas giants, and a considerable amount of quality still needs to rely on imports. After nearly ten years of rapid development, Leanlong has formed a competitive trend with BASF. It is expected that the rapid expansion of domestic olefin production will bring about an additional demand of 100,000 to 150,000 tons of antioxidants. Enterprises with financial advantages and technical strength are expected to seize more market shares.

Early studies of biological antioxidants focused on the use of antioxidants to avoid rancidity caused by the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids. Antioxidant activity can be measured simply by placing a lump of fat in a sealed container filled with oxygen and measuring its oxidation rate. However, with the discovery and confirmation of antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, people have realized the importance of antioxidants in the biological body to play a biochemical role. The exploration of the possible mechanism of action of antioxidants first began with the recognition of the fact that substances with antioxidant activity might themselves be easily oxidized. By studying how vitamin E prevents lipid peroxidation, it is clear that antioxidants, as reducing agents, can react with reactive oxygen species to avoid the damage of reactive oxygen species to cells and achieve antioxidant effects.

According to the 2022-2027 China Antioxidant Industry Market In-depth Research and Investment Strategy Forecast Report released by the Puhua Industrial Research Institute:

Antioxidants, "antioxidants," are substances that block the adverse effects of oxygen. It is a class of substances that help trap and neutralize free radicals, thereby removing their damage to the body. Antioxidants are food additives that can prevent or delay food oxidation, improve food stability and prolong storage life. The proper use of antioxidants can not only prolong the storage and shelf life of food, bring good economic benefits to producers and consumers, but also bring better food safety to consumers.

In 2018, the antioxidant consumption in mainstream regions of the world was about 523,800 tons, among which, the highest antioxidant consumption in China was about 168,200 tons (excluding amine antioxidants). At present, the total global consumption of anti-aging agents (antioxidants, light stabilizer) is about 1.4 million tons, including general antioxidants about 850,000 tons, special antioxidants about 250,000 tons, light stabilizer about 150,000 tons, UV absorbent less than 100,000 tons.

In order to adapt from Marine to terrestrial organisms, land plants began to produce antioxidants such as vitamin C, polyphenols and tocopherols that Marine organisms did not have. Between 50 and 200 million years ago angiosperms evolved to develop many antioxidant natural pigments -- especially during the Jurassic era -- as a chemical defense against reactive oxygen species, byproducts of photosynthesis.

Research on the status of antioxidant market

At present, there are more than 50 major manufacturers in the world, but the industry concentration is high, mainly concentrated in BASF, Matsuhara, Addivant and other well-known enterprises. The Asian market accounts for 50-60 percent of the total.

Some other components of the diet act as pro-oxidants to regulate antioxidant levels in the body. They consume antioxidants, such as certain antioxidant enzymes, to reduce antioxidant levels in the body, thereby avoiding oxidative stress caused by high antioxidant levels. These compounds, such as isothiocyanate and curcumin, may also be a prophylactic drug that blocks normal cells from turning into cancer cells or even kills existing ones.

There are many domestic antioxidant manufacturers with small scale and low industry concentration. Leon is a leading global supplier of anti-aging additives and technologies for polymer materials. Its main products include antioxidants, antioxidants and total solution U-pack. Through more than 20 years of accumulation and development, Leon's customers are all over the world, covering almost all polymer materials and various application fields of the world's famous polymer materials companies. From the perspective of total net assets, the total assets of Leon in 2021 are 5.58 billion yuan; Net assets reached 2.52 billion yuan, an increase of 370 million yuan or 17.0% year-on-year; As of June 30, 2022, Leon's net assets were 3.56 billion yuan, an increase of 41.1% year-on-year. In the first half of 2010, the operating income was 2.27 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 40.3%.

Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant. It easily crosses cell membranes and the blood-brain barrier, and unlike other antioxidants, it does not participate in Redox Cycling. Antioxidants like vitamin C, which are involved in the REDOX cycle, may act as pro-oxidants that promote free radical formation. Once melatonin is oxidized, it cannot be reduced back because oxidized melatonin forms several stable end products with free radicals. So melatonin is called a terminal antioxidant.

Vitamin E is a group of eight related compounds composed of tocopherol and tocotrienol, which are a class of fat-soluble vitamins with antioxidant properties. Of these compounds, alpha-tocopherol is the most bioavailable and has been studied the most because the body preferentially absorbs and metabolizes alpha-tocopherol.

Development status and practical application of antioxidants

Food preservatives. Antioxidants as food additives can help fight food spoilage. Exposure to air and sunlight are two major factors in food oxidation, so food can be stored away from light and in airtight containers, or coated in wax like cucumbers. However, oxygen is also important for plant respiration, and storing plant foods in an anaerobic environment can produce unpleasant smells and unsightly colors, so fresh fruits and vegetables are usually stored in an environment with 8% oxygen. Antioxidants are a very important class of preservatives. Unlike spoilage caused by bacteria and fungi, frozen or refrigerated food can still be oxidized relatively quickly. These antioxidant preservatives include natural vitamin C and vitamins and synthetic propyl gallate, TBHQ, BHT and butylhydroxyanisole.

Cosmetics antioxidants. Cosmetic components generally contain unsaturated components, oil phase needs antioxidants to prevent the oxidation of unsaturated components, resulting in rancidity; Active components and preservatives containing unsaturated structures require antioxidants to prevent spoilage and discoloration. Oxidation in the air (autoxidation) can destroy the flavor, as oxygen reacts with different components of the flavor to produce an unpleasant odor.

Generally, ascorbic palmitate and chelating agents can be added to enhance the action of antioxidants, which must be distributed in the water and oil phases. Oil soluble components require oil soluble antioxidants and water soluble components require water soluble antioxidants. Commonly used antioxidants include: BHA, BHT(butylhydroxytoluene), TBHQ(tert-butylhydroquinone), tocopherol, etc.

Industrial use. Antioxidants are commonly added to industrial products. A common use is as a stabilizer in fuels and lubricants to prevent oxidation. They can also be added to gasoline to prevent aggregation and thus engine scaling.

Antioxidant industry trends

In September 2022, Tomsk University of Technology in Russia developed a new group of antioxidants under the derivative phenothiazine, which is expected to be widely used in the medical field as well as in the food and chemical industries. The study was published recently in the Journal Antioxidants.

In the long run, with the upgrading of market demand and intensifying market competition, the antioxidant industry will gradually upgrade to the direction of safety, high-end, diversification and naturalization. In the future, enterprises with high-end antioxidant production capacity and innovation ability will have more development advantages.