New research reveals that 1.2 billion tonnes of pure commodities were used in food and drink applications in 2015. This is an increase of 2% since 2014, says Euromonitor International.

The growth is linked to the ongoing health and wellness trend within the global food and drinks market. Attitude to health continues to evolve in the Americas and western Europe, says Euromonitor, wher naturally healthy foods are growing at a faster rate than fortified/functional products.

"Clean label remains a dominant trend in food and drinks, and is set to become more important in beauty and personal care," says John Madden, head of ingredients at Euromonitor International. "The clean label tag can mean many things, but at its heart, it is consumers having trust in the products they purchase and an understanding that they are beneficial and safe.

"The use of natural ingredients and the removal of artificial and more controversial ingredients, such as certain preservatives and antimicrobials, continues. In addition to the established clean label demands, Euromonitor predicts a greater pressure to simplify on-pack information, delivering honest, simple messages so consumers do not have to wade through the small print or sort through a long list of claims to find the information they are looking for."