Methionine is one of the nine essential amino acids required by the human body as it aids in tissue repair and growth. It is a sulfur-containing amino acid that strengthens the nails and improves the pliability and tone of the hair and skin. The sulfur provided by it also slows cell aging and protects cells from pollutants. Additionally, sulfur is essential for the bio-availability and absorption of zinc and selenium. Furthermore, methionine acts as a lipotropic agent, preventing excess fat buildup in the liver and offering advantages in liver cirrhosis treatment.

In addition, it has proven beneficial in the treatment of copper poisoning, toxic hepatitis, and pneumonia. It is used as a buffering agent in antacids and analgesics to treat the aforementioned ailments. Thus, the increasing use of this amino acid in pharmaceutical applications will help the methionine market advance at a healthy CAGR of 10.2% during 2018–2023. The market revenue is expected to surge from $5,114.3 million in 2017 to $9,121.9 million by 2023.

In recent years, there has been a significant rise in the consumption of bio-methionine due to the rising public concerns regarding environmental degradation. This is because methionine is primarily derived from petrochemical sources, which are hazardous and hard to handle. To protect the environment from further degradation, methionine producers, such as Evonik Industries AG, Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited, BASF SE, Bluestar Adisseo Company, Arkema Group, Ajinomoto Co. Inc., Novus International Inc., and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) Company, are adopting innovative biochemical processes to derive this amino acid.

DL-Methionine, methionine hydroxy analog (MHA), and L-methionine are the different types of methionine being used in pharmaceutical, animal feed additive, aquaculture, and food processing applications. All the different types of methionine are available in the liquid as well as powder form. In the coming years, the liquid form will be consumed in enormous quantities as its addition to the animal diet improves the morphology and growth performance of the gastrointestinal tract of piglets.

In recent years, methionine producers have engaged in product launches and geographical expansions to reach out to a greater number of customers. For example, in May 2016, Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited added a new production line in Japan to expand its production capacity for feed additive methionine. Likewise, in March 2018, Bluestar Adisseo Company began the construction of a new liquid methionine production plant in Nanjing, China. This factory produces 180,000 tons of liquid methionine every year.

According to P&S Intelligence, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region dominated the methionine market in the recent past, and it will retain its dominance in the foreseeable future. This can be ascribed to the strong presence of established players and vast demand for animal feed in the region. Moreover, the constant effort being made by the government and agrarian community for modernizing the animal husbandry sector will facilitate the usage of this nutrient in APAC countries.

Thus, the increasing use of methionine in pharmaceutical applications and burgeoning demand for bio-methionine will propel the consumption of this amino acid globally.