Under the dual drivers of the global “dual carbon” goals and the rising health-conscious consumption trend, green, renewable, and multifunctional bio-based materials have become a core direction for industrial transformation. Traditional petroleum-based polyols, due to high carbon emissions and non-renewable characteristics, are gradually losing market favor. Against this backdrop, plant-derived polyols, using vegetable oils as their core raw materials, have rapidly emerged thanks to their natural attributes, excellent performance, and broad adaptability. They have not only established a solid foothold in the food ingredient sector but also successfully entered high-end fields such as biomedicine. Data show that the global plant polyols market reached USD 1.24 billion in 2024 and is expected to climb to USD 2.22 billion by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5%, indicating continued industrial growth potential.

1.Natural and renewable at the core, strengthening green competitiveness

The core competitiveness of plant polyols comes from their natural and renewable raw material base. Common vegetable oils such as soybean oil and castor oil are converted into polyols through green processes like epoxidation and ring-opening addition. The production process is free of harmful additives, and VOC emissions are significantly lower than those of petroleum-based polyols. Plant polyols not only meet the EU’s bio-based product certification standards, but certain types have also obtained the U.S. FDA GRAS safety certification, combining biodegradability with human compatibility. Studies show that products using plant polyols can achieve up to 50% carbon emission reduction, perfectly aligning with green transformation needs across industries.

2. Deepening the food sector, empowering healthy product innovation

In the food industry, plant polyols—especially sugar alcohols—have become core ingredients for low-sugar and functional product development, offering low-calorie and low-glycemic characteristics suitable for all populations. In candy, marshmallow, and other confectionery production, polyols such as maltitol and erythritol can replace sucrose, maintaining taste while avoiding blood sugar spikes, and are not utilized by cariogenic bacteria, making them ideal for children’s and sugar-free foods. In bakery and dairy products, their excellent hygroscopicity and moisture retention can extend shelf life and improve texture, with wide applications in sugar-free bread, low-fat yogurt, and similar products. Global demand for food-grade plant polyols is growing at an annual rate of 8%, becoming a key driver of the low-sugar food market expansion.

3. Technological breakthroughs enable cross-industry expansion into biomedicine

With the maturity of technologies such as nano-encapsulation, the application scope of plant polyols has expanded into the biomedical field, with polyols like polypentenol showing particularly remarkable performance. These polyols exhibit bioactivities such as hepatoprotection, antiviral effects, and immune modulation. As precursors for glycoprotein biosynthesis, they play key roles in cellular signaling and have become important targets for anticancer and antiviral drug development. Researchers have addressed challenges such as poor water solubility and low bioavailability of plant polyols by using dual-delivery systems combining liposomes and nanoemulsions, enabling injectable administration and providing a new platform for parenteral drugs and diagnostic reagents. Related nano-formulations have already entered preclinical evaluation.

4. Market landscape optimization: opportunities and challenges coexist

In the global market, North America holds a 30% share due to policy and technological advantages, with over 40% of U.S. construction companies and 35% of automotive companies having adopted plant polyols at scale. The Asia-Pacific region, growing at 35%, has become the fastest-growing market, with notable demand expansion in emerging markets such as China and India. However, the industry still faces challenges including raw material supply fluctuations, processing bottlenecks leading to insufficient product reactivity, and inconsistent standards and quality. Currently, over 70% of leading global companies are increasing R&D investment, focusing on raw material diversification and process refinement, with mixed formulation development emerging as a new trend.

Conclusion

Looking ahead, driven by the dual benefits of a global green economy and health industry growth, applications of plant polyols are expected to further extend into biomedicine, high-end electronics, and other sectors. Institutions predict that by 2030, the Chinese plant polyols market will exceed RMB 10 billion, becoming a core engine of global industry growth. Industry players should seize opportunities, strengthen raw material security and technological innovation, and improve product standard systems, leading industrial upgrades through green material innovation and supporting the coordinated achievement of the “Healthy China” and “dual carbon” goals.