Packaged Food Shelf Life Testing Market Report 2026

The packaged food shelf life testing market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $5.71 billion in 2025 to $6.28 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.9%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to rising packaged food consumption, increasing food safety awareness, government enforcement of quality standards, growth in food manufacturing, early development of testing laboratories.

The packaged food shelf life testing market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $9.06 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing regulatory compliance stringency, rising demand for extended food shelf life, growth of global packaged food trade, expansion of quality assurance practices, increasing investment in food testing infrastructure. Major trends in the forecast period include growing focus on food quality and safety validation, increasing demand for accurate shelf life determination, rising emphasis on regulatory food compliance testing, growing adoption of scientific food freshness assessment, increasing expansion of packaged and processed food testing.

The rising incidence of foodborne illnesses is expected to support the growth of the packaged food shelf-life testing market going forward. Foodborne illnesses are diseases caused by the consumption of contaminated food or beverages. Packaged food shelf-life testing plays a crucial role in reducing foodborne illnesses by ensuring products remain safe to consume throughout their intended storage period, minimizing microbial contamination risks, and protecting consumer health by maintaining quality and safety standards. For instance, in August 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a US-based government agency, an estimated 48 million people in the United States became ill due to foodborne diseases, with 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths reported. Therefore, the increasing occurrence of foodborne illnesses is driving the growth of the packaged food shelf-life testing market.

Companies operating in the packaged food shelf-life testing market are increasingly focusing on launching advanced solutions, such as Novamyl BestBite, to strengthen their competitive position. Novamyl BestBite is an enzyme-based solution developed to improve the texture, freshness, and shelf life of baked goods by optimizing starch conversion, thereby enhancing overall product quality and consumer appeal. For example, in May 2023, Novozymes, a Denmark-based biotechnology company, introduced Novamyl BestBite. Incorporating Novamyl BestBite into the baking process enables baked products to maintain enhanced freshness while extending shelf life without negatively affecting the eating experience. This innovative enzymatic ingredient also supports waste reduction in the food industry by prolonging the usability of baked products. Additionally, its focus on texture enhancement and recipe optimization allows manufacturers to reduce reliance on added sugars, offering a balanced solution for improving baked goods while extending their shelf life.

In October 2024, Mérieux NutriSciences, a US-based food safety company, acquired the food testing business of Bureau Veritas for EUR 360 million. This acquisition was aimed at strengthening Mérieux NutriSciences’ global footprint and expanding its capabilities in food safety and quality testing to support safer and more sustainable food systems worldwide. Bureau Veritas is a France-based certification company that provides specialized testing services, including shelf-life testing for packaged food products.

Major companies operating in the packaged food shelf life testing market report are SGS SA, AES Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Agrifood Technology, ALS Ltd., AsureQuality Limited, Bureau Veritas, EMSL Analytical Inc., Eurofins Scientific SE, Intertek Group PLC, Mérieux NutriSciences Corp., Premium Analytical Services, RJ Hill Laboratories, SCS Global Services, Symbio Laboratories Pty. Ltd., Microbac Laboratories Inc., Silliker Inc., Covance Inc., TÜV SÜD AG, NSF International, Underwriters Laboratories LLC, DNV GL, Lloyd's Register Group Limited, Kiwa NV, Q Laboratories Inc., Romer Labs Diagnostic GmbH, 3M Food Safety, Accugen Laboratories Inc., Advanced Analytical Testing Laboratories Inc., Analytical Food Laboratories, Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., CEM Corporation, Certified Laboratories Inc., Charles River Laboratories International Inc., EAG Laboratories.

Europe was the largest region in the packaged food shelf-life testing market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the packaged food shelf life testing market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the packaged food shelf life testing market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The packaged food shelf-life testing market includes revenues earned by entities by testing bacterial contamination, food additives, acidity, and pH value in packed food or beverages using static testing methods. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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