Synthetic products and raw materials are replacing some agricultural raw materials in both food and nonfood markets. This is not new and can be expected to continue due to changing technology, consumer preferences, tastes, and incomes. As consumer demands change, technical developments in product processing and formulation may also change. In some cases, these changes result in the substitution of synthetics for agricultural products and raw materials. In this article, 6 markets are used to illustrate the effect and magnitude of synthetic substitutes on the use of agricultural products and raw materials
