Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
genomics will help us understand these individual differences and provide a basis for
more targeted functional foods in the future.
functIonAl foods In the mARket
Currently, there are numerous foods on the market that can be considered functional
foods. Products include margarines fortified with plant sterols to help reduce choles-
terol, orange juice fortified with calcium, yogurts with probiotic bacteria or prebiot-
ics, products with added green tea, and foods with added N-3 fatty acids. One of the
largest segments is the fortified beverage market, with products ranging from energy
drinks to vitamin-fortified water available.
The products leading the beverage category are enhanced water drinks, sports
drinks, functional tea products, smoothies, and soy-based beverages.
C
r i t e r i a
When a nutrient or ingredient is added to the product, the presence must be
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indicated. Currently, many products on the market do not report the amount
of bioactive ingredient in the product. In the future, manufacturers should be
encouraged to do this. For example, the addition of green tea or ginseng should
be related to a cup of tea or an actual concentration of the bioactive ingredient.
Structure/function claims can be used to describe the effect of a food com-
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ponent on structure or function in the body, but such claims require Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.
Dietary guidance claims can be used to describe the benefits of broad cat-
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egories of foods, for example, the benefits of whole-grain products.
Qualified health claims must be reviewed by the FDA. They must dem-
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onstrate a relationship between the food component and risk of disease or
health condition. Substantial data are required to support these claims.
Health claims must reflect confirmed relationships between food compo-
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nents and the disease or health condition addressed. There must be signifi-
cant scientific agreement.
s
t u D y
t
o P i C s
Functional foods are foods that provide nutritional benefit beyond basic
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nutrition.
Basic nutrition includes the essential nutrients provided from protein, fat,
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carbohydrate, vitamins, and minerals in the diet.
Bioactive ingredients or components are the materials in functional foods
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that provide the principal benefit. Bioactive compounds can come from
many sources, including peptides from milk, soy protein, lipids rich in N-3
fatty acids, and a broad range of phytochemicals from plants.
Soy protein and the soy phytosterols are significant functional foods
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because they may prevent or reduce coronary heart disease and relieve
menopausal symptoms.
