Oregano Extract Market : Historical, current, and projected size of the market

Posted by pooja paralkar on June 14th, 2019

Oregano is a herb whose scientific name is Origanum vulgare L. Oregano is a member of the mint family which includes other herbs such as thyme, basil, rosemary as well as lavender. Native to the Mediterranean, oregano is a perennial herb which has a fragrant smell especially when it is dried compared to when in a fresh state. Oregano, which is used to be called as mountain joy by the Romans and the Greeks is now popularly known as Wild Majoram. The leaves of oregano are needle-like and its flowers are multi-colored.

It is typically prepared as a dried powdered extract or as a dried whole herb. The food and beverages witness the use of liquid extracts that are made from fresh or dried leaves. Traditionally, the oregano extract has been used on the backdrop of its medicinal properties however it is now popularly used as a culinary condiment, food preservative, and dietary supplement as well as in cosmetics. The oregano extract Market  is obtained by steam distilling the oregano leaves. The oregano leaf extract contains far more concentrated active ingredients than the actual leaf.

The oregano extract market can be segmented on form and application. On the basis of form, the oregano extract market can be segmented into solid, liquid, powder, paste and gels. The solid form of the oregano extract market mostly include its use as an ingredient in dietary supplements such as in tablets and capsules. On the basis of application, the oregano extract market can be segmented into food & beverages, food preservatives, cosmetics, dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals as well as nutraceuticals.

The oregano extract is a source of calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6 as well as iron. The fact that it not only tastes good in culinary dishes but is also used to deal with the age-related mental decline, hair loss, arthritis, cough, headache, high blood pressure, liver and gallbladder problems, eczema, gout, flatulence and many other health issues makes the oregano extract market very promising and potential. A very few number of cases reporting allergies and causing abortions after its consumption have been registered. Although the woody portion of the oregano can be consumed but mainly the leaves are used to exert antioxidative functions and is emerging as a prime alternative to synthetic antioxidants. The oregano oil which is used mainly to deal with skin problems. Owing to the antifungal, antibacterial as well as anti-inflammatory properties of the oregano leaf extract, it has been extensively used to deal with bacterial  vaginosis.

The use of oregano extract as a dressing in salads and as additives in pastas, pizzas and others in the American as well as Italian cuisines are driving the oregano extract market. Higher volume of oregano extract products are sold online as compared to that of specialty stores or convenience stores  owing to the increasing trend of the Internet of Things, increasing number of users using smart or connected devices, and also due to the convenience of purchasing products at the touch of the screen.

The countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea remain the leading manufacturers and exporters of the oregano extract market globally. The major countries employed in the exporting business in the oregano extract market include France, Spain, Turkey followed by Asian countries like China, Indonesia, and India. Europe and Northern America remain the largest consumers in the global oregano extract market. Moreover, the European countries remain at the top in terms of market share.