The advantageous functional properties of amino acids and a substantial rise in the volume of research are nudging the U.S. amino acid markets toward higher revenue and shares. Although there is ample publicity for the benefits of amino acids, an increase in research, backed by significant technological developments, is giving a huge boost to the uptake of the product.


New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.food.frost.com ), U.S. Amino Acids Markets, reveals that the market earned revenues of $1.00 billion in 2005 and estimates this to reach $1.47 billion in 2012.


If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants with an overview of the U.S. amino acids markets, then send an e-mail to Trisha Bradley, Corporate Communications, at trisha.bradley@frost.com with the following information: your full name, company name, title, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address. Upon receipt of the above information, an overview will be sent to you by e-mail.


While amino acids have established markets in application segments such as animal feed, market participants are exploring novel applications such as amino acid-based surfactants. The introduction of sophisticated microencapsulation technology allows the use of amino acids in ruminant feed and aquaculture, where previously, the lack of protection rendered them unviable as feed additives.


"Amino acids are now widely used in clinical nutrition, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications," notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Ashwin Sukumaran. "The use of amino acids in pharmaceutical and biotechnology applications is picking up pace and this is expected to be one of the fastest growing application sectors in this market."


It is vital to gain toeholds in unexplored markets if participants are to manage the risk posed by the influx of competition from Asia. The U.S. market attracts Asian companies for its immense opportunities.


These foreign companies are driving down domestic companies' profit margins by exerting huge price pressures. This trend is likely to intensify in the future with the increasing participation of low-cost producers. To counter this challenge, organizations need to lower manufacturing costs and identify more lucrative sales opportunities.


"Low-cost producers usually target volumes to maximize their strengths," observes Sukumaran. "If incumbent companies cannot match the cost advantage, they must compete on quality, customer service, or innovative offerings."


Companies should have adequate space to survive as the markets expand to accommodate all tiers of participants. This is because consumers are showing greater interest in preventative healthcare and are hoping to cut down healthcare expenses by staying healthy and consuming dietary supplements fortified with amino acids.


Technological developments have greatly helped amino acids' inclusion in food and beverage products such as energy bars and shakes. Improved amino acids do not alter the taste of the products, enabling the market to take advantage of the growing demand for fortified food and beverage products.


The U.S. Amino Acids Markets is part of the Food and Beverage Ingredients Growth Partnership Services. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants. Interviews are available to the press.


Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit http://www.frost.com .


U.S. Amino Acids Markets


F475


Contact:


Trisha Bradley


Corporate Communications - North America


P: 210.247.3870


F: 210.348.1003


E: trisha.bradley@frost.com


Janina Hillgrub


Corporate Communications - Europe


P: +49 (0) 69 77 0 33 11


F: +49 (0) 69 23 45 66


E: janina.hillgrub@frost.com


Donna Jeremiah


Corporate Communications - Asia Pacific


P: +603 6304 5832


F: +603 6201 7402


E: djeremiah@frost.com


Surbhi Dedhia


Corporate Communications - India


P: +91 22 2832 4705 Ext: 131


E: sdedhia@frost.com


Sharmin Jassal


Corporate Communications - Australia


P: +61 2 8247 8900


F: +61 2 9252 8066


E: sharmin.jassal@frost.com


http://www.frost.com


Keywords in this release: amino acid, U.S., amino acid-based surfactants, microencapsulation, ruminant feed, aquaculture, research, information, market, trends, technology, service, forecast, market share