The bacteriological testing market is estimated to be valued at USD 25.83 billion in 2025. It is projected to reach USD 37.26 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 7.6%. The bacteriological testing equipment market is estimated to be valued at USD 15.95 billion in 2025. It is projected to reach USD 22.48 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 7.1%.
Scope of the Report
Years Considered for the Study
2021-2030
Base Year
2024
Forecast Period
2025-2030
Units Considered
Value (USD), Volume (No. of tests)
Segments
By Bacterium, End-Use Industry, technology, Component, and Region
Regions covered
North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and RoW
The bacteriological testing market has become a cornerstone in safeguarding public health and maintaining product quality across critical industries, including food & beverage, water, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics & personal care. Growing concerns over foodborne diseases, contaminated water supplies, and microbial safety in healthcare and consumer goods are driving the adoption of advanced testing solutions worldwide. The market is evolving rapidly, moving beyond conventional culture-based methods toward faster and more precise technologies, such as PCR, immunoassays, and next-generation sequencing. Backed by stringent regulatory standards, heightened consumer awareness, and continuous technological progress, bacteriological testing is now integral to global quality control, compliance, and risk mitigation practices.
By industry, the food & beverage segment is estimated to lead the bacteriological testing market in 2025. Rising global cases of foodborne infections and heightened consumer awareness around food safety have amplified the need for robust testing across raw materials, processed foods, dairy, beverages, and ready-to-eat products. Governments and regulatory authorities have mandated routine bacteriological testing under frameworks, such as HACCP and ISO standards, pushing food manufacturers, processors, and retailers to use microbial testing solutions heavily. This consistent requirement, combined with the reputational and financial risks of product recalls, ensures the food & beverage sector outpaces other end-use industries, such as water, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics & personal care.
By bacterium, the coliform segment is estimated to lead the bacteriological testing market in 2025. Coliforms are widely used as indicator organisms to assess the hygienic quality of water, food, and beverages, which makes them an essential parameter in routine microbial testing. Regulatory bodies across regions require regular coliform testing to monitor contamination levels in drinking water, processed food, and dairy products, which sustains their high testing volume globally. Other bacteria also represent critical focus areas within the market. Salmonella testing is in strong demand, particularly in the food & beverage industry, given its association with severe foodborne outbreaks and high public health risks. Listeria testing is increasingly prioritized in dairy, meat, and ready-to-eat products due to the pathogen's resilience in cold storage conditions. Campylobacter testing has gained importance in poultry products, as it is among the most common causes of gastrointestinal infections worldwide. Meanwhile, Legionella testing is primarily conducted in water systems-including cooling towers, public water supply networks, and healthcare facilities-where the pathogen poses serious risks if uncontrolled.
Europe is estimated to be the largest regional market for bacteriological testing in 2025. The position of this market is driven by stringent food and water safety regulations, a strong pharmaceutical industry, and growing demand for microbiological quality assurance across consumer goods. The region benefits from well-established testing infrastructure, high levels of public awareness, and the proactive stance of regulatory authorities, such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Strict compliance requirements for food exports, particularly within the EU's harmonized market, further increase testing volumes. With its advanced laboratories, robust regulatory environment, and focus on maintaining high-quality standards, Europe has cemented its position as the global leader in the bacteriological testing market.
In-depth interviews were conducted with chief executive officers (CEOs), directors, and other executives from various key organizations operating in the bacteriological testing market.
By Company Type: Tier 1 - 25%, Tier 2 - 45%, and Tier 3 - 30%
By Region: North America - 25%, Europe - 30%, Asia Pacific - 20%, South America - 15%, and Rest of the World - 10%
Key players providing bacteriological testing services include SGS (Switzerland), Eurofins (Luxembourg), Intertek (UK), TUV SUD (Germany), and ALS Limited (Australia). Additionally, key bacteriological safety testing equipment providers include 3M (US), Thermo Fisher Scientific (US), Merck KGaA (Germany), Bio-Rad Laboratories (United States), and Romer Labs (Austria).
Research Coverage:
This research report categorizes the bacteriological safety testing market by bacterium (Coliform, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, Legionella, Other Bacteria), end-use industry (Food & Beverage, Water, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Other End-Use Industries), technology (Traditional, Rapid), component (Instruments, Test Kits, Reagents & Consumables), and Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, RoW).
The scope of the report covers detailed information regarding the major factors (drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities) influencing the growth of the bacteriological testing market. A detailed analysis of the key industry players has been done to provide insights into their business overview; services; and key strategies like contracts, partnerships, agreements, service launches, and mergers and acquisitions associated with the bacteriological testing market. Also, this report covers a competitive analysis of upcoming startups in the bacteriological testing market ecosystem. Furthermore, industry-specific trends, such as technology analysis, ecosystem and market mapping, and patent and regulatory landscape, are also covered in the study.
Reasons to buy this report:
The report will help market leaders/new entrants in this market with information on the closest approximations of revenue numbers for the overall bacteriological testing market and its subsegments. Additionally, this report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to position their businesses and plan suitable go-to-market strategies. The report will also help stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and will provide them with information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.
The report provides insights into the following pointers:
Analysis of key drivers (Rising prevalence of foodborne and waterborne illnesses; rising demand from cosmetics & personal care industry), restraints (High cost of advanced rapid testing; complexity in testing techniques), opportunities (Advances in rapid, portable, and automated testing; popularity of digital & automated testing platforms), and challenges (Lack of harmonized global regulations; high cost of advanced technologies) influencing the growth of the bacteriological testing market
Service Launch/Innovation: Detailed insights into research & development activities and service launches in the bacteriological testing market
Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative markets across varied regions
Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new services, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the bacteriological testing market
Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market share, growth strategies, product offerings, product/service comparison, and product/service footprints of leading bacteriological testing service providers, namely SGS (Switzerland), Eurofins (Luxembourg), Intertek (UK), TUV SUD (Germany), and ALS Limited (Australia); major equipment providers, namely 3M (US), Thermo Fisher Scientific (US), Merck KGaA (Germany), Agilent Technologies (US), Bio-Rad Laboratories (US), and Romer Labs (Austria); and other players.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 STUDY OBJECTIVES
1.2 MARKET DEFINITION
1.3 STUDY SCOPE
1.3.1 BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING MARKET SEGMENTATION AND REGIONAL SCOPE
1.3.2 INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS
1.4 YEARS CONSIDERED
1.5 CURRENCY CONSIDERED
1.6 VOLUME UNIT CONSIDERED
1.7 STAKEHOLDERS
1.8 SUMMARY OF CHANGES
2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
2.1 RESEARCH DATA
2.1.1 SECONDARY DATA
2.1.1.1 Key data from secondary sources
2.1.2 PRIMARY DATA
2.1.2.1 Key data from primary sources
2.1.2.2 Breakdown of primary profiles
2.1.2.3 Key insights from industry experts
2.2 MARKET SIZE ESTIMATION
2.2.1 TOP-DOWN APPROACH
2.2.2 SUPPLY-SIDE ANALYSIS
2.2.3 BOTTOM-UP APPROACH (DEMAND SIDE)
2.3 DATA TRIANGULATION AND MARKET BREAKUP
2.4 RESEARCH ASSUMPTIONS
2.5 LIMITATIONS & RISK ASSESSMENT
3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
4 PREMIUM INSIGHTS
4.1 ATTRACTIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLAYERS IN BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING MARKET
4.2 BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING MARKET, BY COUNTRY
4.3 EUROPE: BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING MARKET, BY BACTERIUM AND COUNTRY
4.4 BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING MARKET, BY BACTERIUM
4.5 BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING MARKET, BY TECHNOLOGY
4.6 BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING MARKET, BY END-USE INDUSTRY
4.7 ATTRACTIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLAYERS IN BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING EQUIPMENT MARKET
4.8 BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING EQUIPMENT MARKET, BY COUNTRY
4.9 EUROPE: BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING EQUIPMENT MARKET, BY COMPONENT AND COUNTRY
4.10 BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING EQUIPMENT MARKET, BY COMPONENT
4.11 BACTERIOLOGICAL TESTING EQUIPMENT MARKET, BY MODE OF USE
5 MARKET OVERVIEW
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 MACROECONOMIC OUTLOOK
5.2.1 INCREASING GLOBAL OUTBREAKS OF FOODBORNE ILLNESSES
5.2.2 INCREASED GLOBAL FOOD TRADE
5.3 MARKET DYNAMICS
5.3.1 DRIVERS
5.3.1.1 Cross-contamination of food products due to complex processes
5.3.1.2 Technological advancements in bacteriological testing
5.3.1.3 Increasing demand for convenience and packaged food products
5.3.1.4 Rising food recalls due to non-compliant food products