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21 Microbiology Industry Statistics, Trends & Analysis

The microbiology industry is focused on the screening of products for microorganism contaminants. Food products, beverages, personal care items, and pharmaceuticals are all screened by microbiologists working in this industry.

It is also focused on the study of small living things. These are the forms of life that can usually be seen through the lens of a microscope only. Algae, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa are all studied by the industry. Prions and viruses are part of the industry as well.

If these items were to be allowed in our consumables, then the potential for illness would be much higher. That is why the work of this industry is so important. Those working in this industry help to make sure what we use is safe to use. If not, then they have the authority to issue a recall to limit the potential for harm.

Interesting Microbiology Industry Statistics

#1. In 2016, the global microbiology market was valued at $8.9 billion. It is forecast to reach a value of $16.3 billion by the year 2025, which would be a CAGR of 6.9%. (Business Wire)

#2. The biopharmaceutical industry accounts for about 23% of the industry revenues right now. Reaction consumables, as a whole, are responsible for the vast majority of revenues that are generated by the microbiology industry. (Statista)

Global Microbiology Industry Statistics by Application Market Share

#3. There were 1.14 billion tests conducted in the global food microbiology market in 2016. In 2013, there were 966 million tests performed. In 2008, there were just 738 million tests performed. (Food Safety Magazine)

#4. Of the 1.14 billion tests performed, about 280 million tests were performed for pathogens, representing about 24.6% of the industry segment. The testing rate for pathogens has more than doubled since 2008. (Food Safety Magazine)

#5. 43% of the pathogen tests performed on food products targeted salmonella. Listeria is the other common test conducted on food products, representing 41% of testing efforts. (Food Safety Magazine)

#6. About 40 million tests are conducted annually to detect e. coli. About 4 million tests each year are performed to detect campylobacter. (Food Safety Magazine)

#7. Routine testing accounts for 49% of the total revenue potential of the microbiology industry each year. The average cost per test, for routine testing, is about $2. (Food Safety Magazine)

#8. Pathogen testing may happen less frequently, but it costs more per test to complete. The average test cost of routine pathogen testing is $6.50 per test. (Food Safety Magazine)

#9. Laboratory testing services in the United States offer direct employment opportunities to over 145,000 people. More than 10,000 businesses are involved in testing consumer products, including food, each year. (IBIS World)

#10. From 2012-2017, the laboratory testing services industry in the U.S. has grown at an average annualized rate of 2.2%. (IBIS World)

Global Microbiology Industry Statistics by Market Size

#11. Food manufacturing is one of the largest industries in the United States. About $6.69 trillion in revenues is generated by the industry each year. More than 12 million people are employed in the United States in food manufacturing. (IBIS World)

#12. The United States exports about $1.13 trillion in food products each year, all of which have certain testing needs that is provided by the microbiology industry. (IBIS World)

#13. Another $4.45 trillion in food imports occurs in the U.S. each year, which provides additional opportunities for the microbiology industry. (IBIS World)

#14. Employment opportunities within the food manufacturing sector have risen by 0.9%, even though current revenues have decreased by 1.2% and exports have contracted by 2.3% within the industry. (IBIS World)

#15. Most microbiology efforts are focused on the current microbial species which have been documented, a total of 6,500. Most testing efforts, however, focus on only 4 microbial species. (Science Direct)

#16. There are 3 patterns of contamination which can be discovered through industry testing processes. Regular contamination patterns indicate evidence of organisms being present at some point in the production chain. Random contaminations occur where no source may be able to be identified. Clustered patterns show that contamination may occur in one processing center, but not another. (World Health Organization)

#17. There are only 3 field service labs in the United States which administer regulator testing programs. They are located is Georgia, Missouri, and California. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

#18. In the United States, more than 75,000 domestic samples were taken for microbiological sampling programs. Another 7,500 were taken from imports, while about 500 were taken from in commerce in 2015. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

#19. For U.S.-based food safety and inspection services, an n60 sample provides 95% confidence that no more than 5% of lot samples are contaminated. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

#20. With a 25g microbiology test for food safety, 0.04 cells per gram is possible to detect. When a 325g test portion is available, 0.003 cells per gram is possible. Test portions may need to be incubated for up to 48 hours. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Worldwide Microbiology Industry Statistics by Region

#21. The lag phase of a test administered may require up to 3 hours of resuscitation before log-phase growth can begin. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Microbiology Industry Trends and Analysis

There is a growing demand from consumers to have access to safe products. Billions of tests happen throughout many industries to provide these products to the marketplace. As more tests are developed, the microbiology industry has a great potential for growth. Consumers typically pay more for a guaranteed level of safety.

Reaction consumables tend to be the focus on this industry right now. It brings in most of the revenues and will continue to do so. As this segment matures, however, it will require support from new segments to continue the industry growth currently seen.

If those segments are not developed, expect the microbiology industry to see stable revenues and low growth.

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