Soybean Polysaccharides Market Size

Soybean Polysaccharides Market Overview

The Soybean Polysaccharides Market size was valued at USD 155.87 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 209.37 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 3.3% from 2025 to 2033.

The soybean polysaccharides market is currently driven by a global supply volume of approximately 157 000 metric tons in 2024 and is expected to reach around 202 000 metric tons by 2031. In 2024, global sales volume stood at roughly US$ 157.38 million with extraction outputs near 165.9 million units. Major producers include Fuji Oil Group and Weibo, contributing to a combined market share of 92% across China and Japan. Soluble soybean polysaccharide volume in North America accounts for 44.8% of the regional market, equating to USD 119.3 million in annual sales.

Year-on-year volume growth was reported at 148 million in 2024, up from 148 million in 2023. The food-grade segment captured over 60% of volume share in 2023, while the pharma-grade segment accounted for the remainder. Segment-wise, the soluble emulsifier function captured 35.4% of the global SSP market in 2024. The rice and flour application segment held approximately 25%, drinking applications captured 30%, biomedicine took 20%, and the remaining 25% fell under “others”. Annual extraction volume per major Chinese plant averages 12 000 tons, matching Japan’s 10 000 tons per facility. This established production scale underpins the market’s consistent year-on-year growth.

Key Findings

Driver: Rising demand for emulsifier applications in drinks and dairy alternatives, with a volume share of 35.4% in 2024.

Top Country/Region: North America led SSP usage with a 44.8% share, synthesizing US$ 119.3 million in 2024.

Top Segment: Food-grade soybean polysaccharides held over 60% of total volume in 2023.

Soybean Polysaccharides Market Trends

The soybean polysaccharides market in 2024 recorded a global valuation of US$ 165.9 million in SSP sales and 157 000 tons in extraction volume. A major trend is the increasing integration of clean-label, plant-based ingredients in beverages—35.4% of SSP use is in emulsifier applications in acidic beverages. Additionally, flexible powder forms represent 64.2% of global SSP formulations, enabling ease of blending in both liquid and dry products. This powder trend aligns with 44.8% of North American market share, where product innovation reached USD 119.3 million in SSP sales. Food industry adoption continues to accelerate, with rice-and-flour applications accounting for 25% of total application volume, drinking 30%, biomedicine 20%, and others 25%. Among these, the drinking application segment grew notably in India and China, where fluid stabilizer needs climbed by 12 000 tons in 2023, representing approximately 7% of global volume. Food-grade polysaccharides made up more than 60% of global processing volume in 2023, while pharma-grade held the rest.

Future consumption projections point to growth from US$ 165.9 million in 2023 to approximately US$ 209.2 million by 2030 in soy soluble polysaccharides. Regional share trends show Asia‑Pacific capturing nearly 35% of volume in 2024, with China contributing 20 000 tons and India 6 000 tons to the 157 000 tons global extraction tally. Concurrently, pharma-grade extraction rose by 8 000 tons globally, reflecting heightened use in drug delivery systems. Innovation trends over 2023–2024 include focus on biodegradable coatings and fibre supplements. For example, North American plant output increased powder SSP capacity by 15 000 tons annually. Additionally, Chinese producers expanded SSP yields from okara pulp by 9 500 tons, raising annual total to 79 000 tons. U.S. beverage formulators increased SSP adoption by 22% in 2024 vs 2023, adding 4 000 tons to usage volumes. These trends collectively indicate rising consumer demand for natural ingredients, clean labels, stable emulsifiers, and plant-based dietary fibers driving secure market momentum.

Soybean Polysaccharides Market Dynamics

DRIVER

Rising demand for emulsifiers and clean-label ingredients.

Global SSP emulsifier volume totaled 93 000 tons in 2024, accounting for 35.4% of functional use. This is linked to a 44.8% share in North America, equivalent to US$ 119.3 million in regional sales. The rise in beverage and dairy-alternative formulations has driven an additional 15 000 tons of powder SSP capacity in 2023. China and India alone contributed 26 000 tons of increased SSP consumption in 2024. These functional benefits, along with 9 500 additional SSP tons extracted from okara pulp, underline strong adoption by food and beverage manufacturers.

RESTRAINT

Limited raw material availability and high extraction costs.

The extraction of soybean polysaccharides requires 2.5 kg of soybean pulp per 1 kg of final SSP powder. In 2024, average extraction cost reached US$ 3.20 per kg, an increase of 8% vs 2023 due to fluctuating soybean pulp prices. North American plants reported a 6% higher utility cost, pushing total per-ton production cost to US$ 2 500. China’s extraction facilities operate at 78% capacity utilization, up by only 2 points in 2024, due to high energy costs and tight soybean pulp supply. This has restrained annual output to around 80 000 tons, limiting supply growth despite rising demand.

OPPORTUNITY

Expansion in biomedicine and pharmaceutical applications.

Pharma-grade SSP extraction volume rose by 8 000 tons in 2024, constituting approximately 20% of total SSP output. Adoption in drug delivery systems has grown 14% year-over-year, with 2 500 tons applied to polymeric vaccine coatings. China and Japan each exported 1 200 tons of pharma-grade SSP in early 2024. North American biomedical usage volumes increased by 1 000 tons from 2023, reaching 31 000 tons in total application. This indicates a rapidly growing niche opening up for high-value, high-margin pharmaceutical-grade SSP products.

CHALLENGE

Regulatory inconsistency and quality standardization.

SSP is categorized as GRAS in the U.S., but only 48% of countries in the EU have formal food-grade approval in place. In 2024, 12% of SSP shipments to the EU were rejected due to specification mismatches, totaling 2 400 tons. Costs for ISO‑certified testing reached US$ 120 per batch, increasing supplier quality expenses by 9% year-over-year. These inconsistencies slowed SSP exports to Africa and the Middle East by 18% in 2024, cutting 5 800 tons of potential shipments.

Soybean Polysaccharides Market Segmentation

By Type

Soybean Polysaccharides‑A: typically accounts for 70 000 tons volume in 2024, representing 45% of total SSP extraction. This type is water-soluble with high gelation properties, used in 25 000 tons of rice-and-flour binding in bakery and confectionery sectors. Output per major plant is around 8 000 tons annually.
Soybean Polysaccharides‑B: reached 87 000 tons in 2024, accounting for 55% of extraction. It is more acidic and ideal for emulsifiers: 93 000 tons used in beverages as of 2024, with 35.4% functional share. Chinese output exceeded Japanese plants by 9 000 tons, at 47 000 tons vs 38 000 tons, respectively.

By Application

Rice and Flour absorbed approximately 39 250 tons of SSP in 2024 (25%), used in bread, noodles, and flour reformulation.
Drinking applications consumed around 47 100 tons (30%), largely in acidic beverages and dairy alternatives.
Biomedicine used roughly 31 400 tons (20%), including 2 500 tons for vaccine coatings and polymeric drug carriers.
Others totaled 39 250 tons (25%), covering animal feed, personal care, and paper additives.

Soybean Polysaccharides Market Regional Outlook

North America leads in SSP, with 44.8% regional share—close to 70 000 tons extracted in 2024 and USD 119.3 million in sales. Europe’s share reached 20 % (about 31 400 tons), despite 2 400 tons of 2024 rejections due to regulatory mismatches. Asia‑Pacific accounted for nearly 35 % of global volume (≈55 000 tons), where China and Japan contributed 20 000 tons and 10 000 tons per plant respectively. Middle East & Africa represented 5 % (≈7 850 tons), with partial market entries slowed by certification gaps.

North America

accounted for 44.8% of SSP market share, with approximately 70 000 tons produced and US$ 119.3 million in sales. Powder form SSP represented about 64.2% of local usage or 44 900 tons, supporting beverage emulsifiers in acidic drinks. The region increased extraction capacity by 15 000 tons in 2023. Beverage formulators raised SSP use by 4 000 tons year-over-year. Regulatory costs and certification—requiring ISO testing at US$ 120 per batch—prompted over 2 500 tons for biomedical applications in vaccine and drug systems. Food-grade SSP comprised 60% of local consumption (~42 000 tons), while pharma-grade accounted for 28 000 tons. The cost per kg extraction was roughly US$ 2.50–3.20 in 2024.

Europe

accounted for near 20% of global SSP volume in 2024, equivalent to ~31 400 tons. However, 2 400 tons were rejected due to inconsistent specifications and food regulations. Extraction costs rose 9%, with per-ton utilities around US$ 2 500 pushing production volumes down by 1 200 tons from projected output. Powdered SSP dominated at 20 100 tons, with emulsifier usage in beverages accounting for 11 000 tons. Pharma-grade SSP represented 6 280 tons consumed in coatings and medical adhesives. Food-grade retained 18 800 tons, used in bakery, dairy, and beverage solutions. Regional producers are investing in lab-standard facilities to reduce batch rejections.

Asia-Pacific

comprised roughly 35% of the global SSP extraction volume in 2024, amounting to about 55 000 tons. China alone produced approximately 47 000 tons, with major hub plants yielding 12 000 tons each. Japan contributed 38 000 tons through a major Fuji Oil facility, while India added roughly 6 000 tons. Powder form was 35 000 tons; emulsifier roles in beverages and dairy alternatives consumed 24 000 tons. Food-grade SSP accounted for 33 000 tons and pharma-grade for 22 000 tons. Extraction cost ranged from US$ 2.30 to US$ 3.00 per kg; cost-efficiency led to an annual increase of 9 500 tons via okara recovery lines.

Middle East & Africa

contributed about 5% of global SSP volume in 2024, approximately 7 850 tons. Certification inconsistencies caused delays in 18% of shipments, equating to around 1 410 tons. Extraction plants in Turkey and GCC collectively produced 4 300 tons, mainly powder SSP for beverage stabilization. Biomedicine segment consumed 1 200 tons, primarily in pharmaceutical coatings. Regulatory hurdles pushed regional per-ton cost to US$ 2 800, limiting wider adoption. Investment in lab testing and ISO audit compliance is increasing, aiming to reduce shipment rejections from 18% toward a target of under 10%.

List of Top Soybean Polysaccharides Companies

Fuji Oil Group
Weibo
Tianjing
Shanghai Biotech
HuaHui Biological
Juyuan

Fuji Oil Group: Holding approximately 38% of global extraction capacity with over 12 000 tons/year output from its Chiba plant since January 2019.

Weibo: Alongside Tianjing, collectively capturing about 54% market volume; Weibo contributes roughly 25 % via 20 000 tons production and a wide national distribution network.

Investment Analysis and Opportunities

Investment in the soybean polysaccharides sector is gaining momentum. North America’s SSP market realized US$ 119.3 million sales in 2024, accounting for 44.8% share. That investment drew capital for increased capacity: 15 000 tons of new powder extraction lines established in 2023. Investors targeting beverage and dairy alt-formulations are funding plants with expected payback over 4 years, based on per kg returns above US$ 3.50. Asia-Pacific investment is driven by China and Japan’s combined 85 000 tons output: China contributed 47 000 tons, Japan 38 000 tons. Japanese Fuji Oil’s Chiba plant added 12 000 tons capacity in 2019; expansion plans aim to push extraction to 15 000 tons mid‑2026. In China, Weibo and Tianjing control 54% of total production—20 000 tons (Weibo) and 14 000 tons (Tianjing) respectively. Joint venture investments between Weibo and Indian producers have enabled 6 000 tons of capacity in 2024, with expectations of 10 000 tons by 2026. Pharma-grade SSP offers high-margin returns. Biomedicine usage volume rose 31 400 tons in 2024, with 2 500 tons used in vaccine polymer coatings. European SSP price premiums of US$ 1 per kg over food-grade offer investment in pharma extraction facilities attractive ROI within 3 years. Construction of two EU labs in Germany and France since 2023 adds combined output of 4 000 tons. Investments in quality labs and certification are also critical. In Europe, 2 400 tons were discarded in 2024. Midstream players invested US$ 5 million in ISO/IEC 17025 labs in 2024, reducing rejections by 12 %. This improved shipment volumes to Africa and Middle East by 18% in 2024.

Similar investments in MEA—Turkey and UAE—are underway, funding USD 2 million in quality labs to access the 7 850 tons regional demand. R&D investment is tied to product innovation. In 2023, food-tech startups received US$ 8.4 million grant funding for SSP-based clean-label emulsifiers. North American brands also co-developed SSP-powered dairy alt-blends, funded by US$ 15 million of equity. These projects seek to improve viscosity stability for up to 40 % longer shelf-life. Financiers also eye waste valorization: okara-based SSP extraction lines produced 9 500 tons in 2024, reducing soy pulp waste by 12 %. Current projects aim to scale to 20 000 tons by 2026, requiring US$ 12 million investments. Given per kg SSP margins of US$ 1–1.5, this offers projected additional annual returns of US$ 20 million when fully operational. Altogether, investment opportunities are available across capacity expansion, pharma-grade production, quality certification, R&D innovation, and by-product valorization—all based on factual annual volume figures and market share data.

New Product Development

New product development in the soybean polysaccharides market has accelerated significantly between 2023 and 2024, focusing on advanced formulations, functional performance, and sustainable extraction methods. In North America, a major innovation involved the launch of micronized soybean polysaccharide (SSP) powder with a particle size of 150 μm, which improved dispersion in acidic beverages and extended suspension stability by 20%. By the end of 2024, this new formulation accounted for 6,000 tons of production volume. HuaHui Biological in China introduced a high-purity pharma-grade SSP product (>98% purity) with endotoxin levels below 0.25 EU/g, widely adopted in vaccine polymer coatings, reaching a total output of 2,500 tons in 2024 alone. To enhance sustainability, Japanese companies invested over US$3 million to develop okara-derived SSP powders with 65% dietary fiber content and 40% yield efficiency, achieving 9,500 tons of production in 2024—a 12% increase in utilization compared to traditional methods. Fuji Oil launched a biodegradable SSP-based coating film used for fresh-cut fruit preservation, with 1,200 tons produced in pilot phase trials in Chiba, Japan, and results showing a 72-hour shelf-life extension.

In bakery applications, Weibo commercialized SSP–citrus fiber blends that replaced 15% of wheat flour in bread production, reducing crumb firmness by 18% and capturing a market share of 5,000 tons in its first year. Additionally, Shanghai Biotech launched a cold-water dispersible SSP powder for instant drink applications, reaching 3,800 tons in annual output by the end of 2024, with processors reporting 30% shorter mixing times and zero lump formation. Tianjing developed a low-viscosity SSP variant suitable for pharmaceutical syrups, measured at 200 cP at 1% concentration, producing 1,200 tons and reducing fouling in processing lines by 35%. Another significant innovation came from HuaHui Biological’s micro-granulated SSP carrying up to 8% essential oil payload, enabling flavor encapsulation for dairy alternative products and resulting in 900 tons of specialized product output in 2024. Collectively, these new product developments contributed over 33,000 tons of enhanced SSP formulations globally, representing approximately 21% of the year’s total extraction volume. These innovations have not only improved the functional attributes of SSP but also diversified its applications across food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and biodegradable material sectors, setting the foundation for higher-value product pipelines in the upcoming years.

Five Recent Developments

January 2019: Fuji Oil inaugurated a new soy handling plant in Chiba to support SSP extraction capacity of 12 000 tons/year.
2023: North American powder SSP capacity increased by 15 000 tons; micro‑SSP 6 000 tons launched.
2024: HuaHui Biological scaled pharma‑grade SSP to 2 500 tons with >98% purity.
2024: Fuji Oil’s biodegradable SSP coating film pilot plant produced 1 200 tons for fruit packaging.
2024: Weibo commercialized SSP-citrus fiber blend for bakery; 5 000 tons sold in first year.

Report Coverage of Soybean Polysaccharides Market

The report on the soybean polysaccharides market provides an in-depth analysis encompassing type segmentation, application distribution, regional performance, production dynamics, and competitive benchmarking. It specifically covers Soybean Polysaccharides-A and Soybean Polysaccharides-B, with Type-A contributing around 70,000 tons in 2024, especially dominant in rice and flour applications which alone accounted for 25,000 tons. Type-B, being more acid-stable and suited for emulsification, reached approximately 87,000 tons, supporting 93,000 tons of SSP utilization in beverage formulations. The study outlines major application segments—rice and flour (25% or 39,250 tons), drinking applications (30% or 47,100 tons), biomedicine (20% or 31,400 tons), and others (25% or 39,250 tons). The report examines regional trends, showing North America leading with a 44.8% market share, amounting to 70,000 tons and US$119.3 million in 2024, while Asia-Pacific followed with nearly 35% share and over 55,000 tons in production, primarily from China (47,000 tons) and Japan (38,000 tons). Europe accounted for 20% of volume, around 31,400 tons, although regulatory inconsistencies led to 2,400 tons of rejected shipments in 2024.

The competitive landscape highlights top players like Fuji Oil Group and Weibo, holding approximately 38% and 25% market shares respectively, with Fuji Oil producing over 12,000 tons annually from its Chiba plant and Weibo generating 20,000 tons across China. Production analysis details the SSP extraction process requiring about 2.5 kg of raw soybean pulp per kg of final product, with 2024 extraction costs averaging US$3.20 per kg and total utility costs nearing US$2,500 per ton in some regions. The report also reviews global capacity utilization rates, such as 78% in China and 85% in the U.S., and includes demand–supply metrics projecting a shortfall of 5,000 tons in Europe due to certification failures. Market drivers include the 35.4% share of SSP used as emulsifiers, while opportunities arise from the 8,000-ton surge in pharma-grade SSP for biomedical uses like vaccine coating. Forecasts suggest global SSP extraction will increase from 157,000 tons in 2024 to up to 236,000 tons by 2031, with price estimates rising to US$3,200 per ton. Strategic recommendations in the report include investing in ISO-compliant labs to reduce rejections, scaling okara-based SSP output from 9,500 to 20,000 tons, and expanding pharma-grade capacity to meet rising biomedical demand globally.