Definitions of functional foods on the Web: Foods eaten for specified health purposes, because of their (rich) content of one or more nutrients or non-nutrient substances that might confer health benefits. Defined by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) as foods that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. This definition is similar to that of the International Life Sciences Institute of North America (ILSI), which has defined functional foods as foods that, by virtue of physiologically active food components, proved health benefits beyond basic nutrition. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences limits functional foods to those in which the concentrations of one or more ingredients have been manipulated or modified to enhance their contribution to a healthful diet. Generally refers to a broad category of food that is formulated for (and promoted as having) special health benefits. These are health products whose primary use is for consumption as part of a usual diet and which are found in a form that is readily recognizable to the consumer as being a food product. Functional foods, however, have health benefits associated with them. In addition to providing nutritional information, functional foods would be permitted to make structure/function, risk reduction and treatment claims. Due to the health benefits associated with functional foods, these products would fall under Health Product Legislation. Foods which claim to have special properties valuable to health, but which do not have a medicinal product licence. Foods providing health benefits beyond their contributions to nutrition requirements. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Foods With A Health Boost More companies are adding natural nutrients in higher-than-natural concentrations. Here's what you need to know before you buy It looks like regular yogurt. It tastes like regular yogurt. But Yoplait Healthy Heart, according to its maker, is super-yogurt. Released in March, Yoplait Healthy Heart is the first yogurt in the U.S. to serve up plant sterols -- naturally occurring substances that scientific research shows may inhibit the absorption of cholesterol. Two six-ounce servings of Yoplait Healthy Heart provide 0.8 grams of plant sterols -- the equivalent of 22 servings of brussels sprouts, 26 oranges, 44 apples, or 70 large carrots. We're in the midst of an all-out "phood" fight as dozens of foods and beverages fortified with pharmaceutical-like ingredients hit the market. Besides Yoplait's latest, other recent launches include Dannon's, DanActive, a drink that contains 10 times the culture found in traditional yogurt and claims to "strengthen your body's natural defenses"; Logic Juice 4 Joints, a fruit drink with glucosamine and chondroitin that may ease arthritis and joint pain; and Omega eggs, from chickens fed a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are believed to reduce the risk of heart disease. These join such established functional foods, or neutraceuticals, as Benecol spreads, which also contain plant sterols; Kellogg's, Smart Start cereals, enriched with antioxidants or soy protein, and Wonder Bread with added folic acid. There's more under development. On Mar. 15 scientists at the Agriculture Dept. reported that the cellulose derivative HPMC helped prevent hamsters on a high-fat diet from absorbing fat and developing insulin resistance, a precursor to Type 2 diabetes. Should human studies confirm the findings, the tasteless, colorless compound could enhance hamburgers, hot dogs, and fried chicken within two years. "Obviously, the less fat you eat, the better off you are," USDA researcher Wallace H. Yokoyama told the Mar. 15 meeting of the American Chemical Society. "But if you're going to eat high-fat foods, adding HPMC to them might limit the damage." The growing food-with-a-boost phenomenon stems from both the easing of food-labeling laws and the industry's desire to appeal to health-conscious baby boomers. According to a 2004 study by the Food Marketing Institute, 56% of Americans strongly agree that eating well is a better way to prevent health problems than taking drugs. The proof is at the checkout line: Sales of packaged bread with a nutraceutical component rose 16%, vs. a 0.6% decline for bread overall, says market research firm Packaged Facts. Sales of yogurt and yogurt drinks with additives rocketed 22%, compared with 6% for all yogurts. Overall, functional-food sales totaled $7.3 billion in 2004, up 5% from 2003, compared with a 2.6% growth rate of supermarket sales. Although you pay a premium for some newcomers, such as Yoplait Healthy Heart, most cost the same as their regular counterparts, says Packaged Facts. Clearly, the industry likes functional foods. But should consumers seek them out? Nutritionists argue that many of them don't contain enough benefits to make up for their nutritional drawbacks, such as high sugar or fat content. Plus, they say, it's always better to get nutrients naturally: If you want omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, eat oily fish, such as wild salmon -- not multigrain pizza fortified with them, which Canada's Pizza Pizza chain introduced on Feb. 15. "Often you get one healthy ingredient in a not-so-healthy food," says Dr. Andrew Weil, founder of the University of Arizona's Program in Integrative Medicine. "That concerns me as a physician." Still, if you can't stand salmon or want a concentrated dose of plant sterols without eating 70 carrots, some of these foods may be worthwhile. Before you buy, start by reading the label. The Food & Drug Administration sanctions two kinds of health claims: unqualified, in which the stated benefit relating to a specific disease is backed by scientific research, and qualified, where the FDA evaluation of the evidence is not conclusive. Vague claims -- which make no mention of a disease but offer generalizations such as "improves heart health" or "builds strong bones" -- have no FDA stamp of approval. Few of these foods can make any claims yet. But products with plant sterols can offer unqualified claims to reduce cholesterol. Omega-3-enhanced foods can display a qualified statement about heart disease, and antioxidant-enriched foods can make qualified claims of reducing cancer risk. Breads fortified with folic acid can make a qualified claim to lessening the chances of neural-tube defects in babies -- but not to lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke, as studies have suggested. Functional Foods The Institute of Food Technologists have released their latest report on advances in food research that can lead to the betterment of health and prevention of disease. One of the recommendations is the promotion of what they call "Functional Foods". From a press release on their site: "Functional foods are at the threshold of unprecedented influence on public health and disease prevention. A new expert report declares that advances in science and food technology are growing so rapidly that the food industry and government must quicken their pace to ensure food's greatest benefits on public health. The report, Functional Foods: Opportunities and Challenges, commissioned by the not-for-profit scientific society Institute of Food Technologists, was released here today. It is an exhaustive review of current methods, and emphasizes recommendations to accelerate future research and development, regulation and marketing of functional foods. The report advises that functional foods be brought to market in a new, seven-step, scientific process. One part of the process introduces Generally Recognized As Efficacious, patterned after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's successful Generally Recognized As Safe review. The report deems that economic incentives such as tax breaks, market exclusivity or a combination of both would serve as catalysts for increasing food company investment in functional food research. And it urges that label claims on functional foods reflect scientific evidence, driving consumer understanding of dietary components for health. The expert report calls for expanded research on traditional nutrients, other bioactive food components, and the intersection of genomics and molecular nutrition. "Functional foods should be integral components of public health programs to reduce the risk of specific diseases," according to Fergus Clydesdale, Ph.D., chair of the IFT Expert Panel and co-author of the report, and department head of food science at University of Massachusetts. "The functional foods currently available represent only a fraction of the potential opportunities for consumers to manage their health through diet," said Clydesdale. "It is imperative to further research to validate full effectiveness and establish appropriate dietary levels." The IFT report defines functional foods as foods and food components that provide a health benefit beyond basic nutrition. This includes conventional foods, fortified, enriched or enhanced foods, and dietary supplements. Functional foods can enhance performance and deliver benefits for conditions such as coronary heart disease, osteoporosis and neural tube defects. The report notes that researchers have identified food components that may improve memory, reduce arthritis, and provide other benefits heretofore limited to drugs. It states that future benefits might include foods for increased energy, mental alertness, and better sleep. Discoveries in genetics make it possible to understand the effects of nutrients in processes at the molecular level in the body and also the variable effects of dietary components on the individual. The report predicts that consumers could tailor their diets to meet changing health goals and different requirements at different ages. This is the third Expert Report commissioned by IFT, following the release of Biotechnology and Foods (2000) and Emerging Microbiological Food Safety Issues (2002). This new report is available online at www.ift.org/ExpertReport. ### Founded in 1939, and with world headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, USA, the Institute of Food Technologists is a not-for-profit international scientific society with 26,000 members working in food science, technology and related professions in industry, academia and government. As the society for food science and technology, IFT brings sound science to the public discussion of food issues. For more on IFT, see www.ift.org." ed: the report page linked to has all the previous reports, as well as a recent webcast. Reports are PDF downloads.