2 Functional foods improve the capacity to resist disease and enhance health. Functional foods are one of the outcomes of this The functional foods market Functional foods first emerged in Japan in the early 1980s. Estimates of the value of the functional foods market vary enormously, depending on how the category is defined. Some estimates suggest the world market has grown from US$7-10 billion in 1995 to over US$15 billion in 2000, with annual growth rates averaging 10%. Japan has traditionally accounted for around half of all functional food sales(an estimated US$34 billion in 1996), although this proportion is decreasing as the European and US markets expand. The US market was worth about US$8 billion in 1997 with growth at around 5%per annum. Sales of functional foods in Europe in 1997 have been estimated at US$1.7 billion, growing to around US$2 billion by 2000 There have been a number of important forces driving this growth. These new research on the links between diet and the prevention of chronic disease geing populations in many developed countries, and an about managing the health of this age group who are more prone to disease (and particularly such degenerative disorders as cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and stroke) growing pressure on public health spending, leading to a greater emphasis on prevention and more individual responsibility for health care provision increased health consciousness among consumers and concern about their dietary intake provements in food science and technology changes in the regulatory framework governing this area Classifying functional foods As a result of increasing market growth, there is a huge possible range of functional foods. These include soft drinks such as energy and sports drinks cereal and baby foods baked goods confectionery dairy products, especially yoghurts and other fermented dairy products p。rds meat products animal feeds
improve the capacity to resist disease and enhance health. Functional foods are one of the outcomes of this. The functional foods market Functional foods first emerged in Japan in the early 1980s. Estimates of the value of the functional foods market vary enormously, depending on how the category is defined. Some estimates suggest the world market has grown from US$7–10 billion in 1995 to over US$15 billion in 2000, with annual growth rates averaging 10%. Japan has traditionally accounted for around half of all functional food sales (an estimated US$3–4 billion in 1996), although this proportion is decreasing as the European and US markets expand. The US market was worth about US$8 billion in 1997 with growth at around 5% per annum. Sales of functional foods in Europe in 1997 have been estimated at US$1.7 billion, growing to around US$2 billion by 2000. There have been a number of important forces driving this growth. These include: • new research on the links between diet and the prevention of chronic disease • ageing populations in many developed countries, and an increasing concern about managing the health of this age group who are more prone to disease (and particularly such degenerative disorders as cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and stroke) • growing pressure on public health spending, leading to a greater emphasis on prevention and more individual responsibility for health care provision • increased health consciousness among consumers and concern about their dietary intake • improvements in food science and technology • changes in the regulatory framework governing this area. Classifying functional foods As a result of increasing market growth, there is a huge possible range of functional foods. These include: • soft drinks such as energy and sports drinks • cereal and baby foods • baked goods • confectionery • dairy products, especially yoghurts and other fermented dairy products • spreads • meat products • animal feeds. 2 Functional foods
Introduction 3 These functional foods offer varying types of benefit and act in differing ways One way of categorising their mode of operation is as follows vitamin and mineral fortification cholesterol reduction probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics antioxidants phytic herbs and botanicals Examples of products fortified with vitamins and minerals include calcium fortified confectionery and fruit drinks, and calcium-enriched milk with folic or example, is documented as a vital nutrient in early pregnancy that guards against spina bifida, while the importance of calcium has been recognised in counteracting osteoporosis. Given the prevalence of osteoporosis among the increasing proportion of elderly people in developed countries, improving calcium intake has been seen as particularly significant in this sector of the functional foods market. Research has concentrated not just on ways of increasing levels of calcium intake but also in improving the efficiency of calcium absorption A number of ingredients are associated with inhibiting the absorption cholesterol which is thought to be a major factor in cardiovascular disease. This category includes omega-3 fatty acids and plant sterols. Examples of products in this area include a margarine containing plant sterol fatty acid esters designed to reduce cholesterol absorption, and omega-3 enriched eggs produced by chickens a micoalgal feed ingredient Dietary fibre comprises the non-digestible structural carbohydrates of plant cell walls and associated lignan. Consumption of fibre has been linked to a reduced risk of certain types of cancer, for example consumption of wheat bran which has been linked to a reduced risk of colon cancer. High-fibre products include a whole-wheat pasta with three times the fibre of regular pasta a probiotic can be defined as a live microbial food supplement which beneficially affects the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance Probiotics are thought to have a range of potential health benefits, including cholesterol-lowering, cancer chemopreventative and immune-enhancing effects Probiotics are viewed currently as the worlds biggest functional food products This sector of the functional foods market has been stimulated in recent years by the development of prebiotics, short chain oligosaccharides which enhance the growth of beneficial bacteria already in the gut, and synbiotics which combine pro- and prebiotic characteristics. The field of gut health is now an area of intense research in functional food science Cancerous and other mutations can occur as a result of oxidative damage to DNA caused by free radicals generated as a damaging side-effect of aerobic metabolism. Plant and animal cells defend themselves against these effects by deploying so-called antioxidant compounds to trap or quench free radicals and
These functional foods offer varying types of benefit and act in differing ways. One way of categorising their mode of operation is as follows: • vitamin and mineral fortification • cholesterol reduction • dietary fibre • probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics • antioxidants • phytochemicals • herbs and botanicals. Examples of products fortified with vitamins and minerals include calciumfortified confectionery and fruit drinks, and calcium-enriched milk with folic acid. Folic acid, for example, is documented as a vital nutrient in early pregnancy that guards against spina bifida, while the importance of calcium has been recognised in counteracting osteoporosis. Given the prevalence of osteoporosis among the increasing proportion of elderly people in developed countries, improving calcium intake has been seen as particularly significant in this sector of the functional foods market. Research has concentrated not just on ways of increasing levels of calcium intake but also in improving the efficiency of calcium absorption. A number of ingredients are associated with inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol which is thought to be a major factor in cardiovascular disease. This category includes omega-3 fatty acids and plant sterols. Examples of products in this area include a margarine containing plant sterol fatty acid esters designed to reduce cholesterol absorption, and omega-3 enriched eggs produced by chickens fed a micoalgal feed ingredient. Dietary fibre comprises the non-digestible structural carbohydrates of plant cell walls and associated lignan. Consumption of fibre has been linked to a reduced risk of certain types of cancer, for example consumption of wheat bran which has been linked to a reduced risk of colon cancer. High-fibre products include a whole-wheat pasta with three times the fibre of regular pasta. A probiotic can be defined as a live microbial food supplement which beneficially affects the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance. Probiotics are thought to have a range of potential health benefits, including cholesterol-lowering, cancer chemopreventative and immune-enhancing effects. Probiotics are viewed currently as the world’s biggest functional food products. This sector of the functional foods market has been stimulated in recent years by the development of prebiotics, short chain oligosaccharides which enhance the growth of beneficial bacteria already in the gut, and synbiotics which combine pro- and prebiotic characteristics. The field of gut health is now an area of intense research in functional food science. Cancerous and other mutations can occur as a result of oxidative damage to DNA caused by free radicals generated as a damaging side-effect of aerobic metabolism. Plant and animal cells defend themselves against these effects by deploying so-called antioxidant compounds to trap or quench free radicals and Introduction 3
4 Functional foods hence arrest their damaging reactions. Antioxidants thus play a role in the bodys defence against cardiovascular disease, certain (epithelial)cancers, visual impairments, arthritis and asthma. Antioxidants include vitamin E, carotene, vitamin C and certain phytochemicals. Functional products incorpor- ating antioxidant supplements include sports bars containing vitamins C and e as well as a blend of several carotenoids(alpha- and gamma-carotene and ycopene) Plant foods are rich in micronutrients, but they also variety of biologically active, non-nutritive secondary metabolites colour, flavour and natural toxicity to pests and sometimes human phytochemicals have been linked to reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease. They include glucosinolates and phenolic compounds like flavonoids which are very effective antioxidants Examples of products including phytochemicals are childrens confectionery containing concentrates of vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and carrots More recently, herbs and botanicals such as ginkgo, ginseng and guarana have been linked to improved physical and mental performance. These may lead to a new generation of performance functional foods including these and other components such as creatin, caffeine and tryptophane. Products in this area include beverages, chewing gum and sports bars. One product that combines a range of functional claims is a fruit juice designed for the sports market containing carnitine, an amino acid to assist the body in producing energy and in lowering cholesterol, calcium to improve skeletal streng and chromium picolinate to help build lean muscle mas Key issues in functional foods: the structure of this book The functional food industry and interested scientists face a number of key challenges agreeing standards for the validation of claims about the health benefits of functional foods ensuring a regulatory framework which balances consumer protection in the way that functional claims are validated and communicated with the freedom for the industry to develop functional products profitably and effectively Identifying and screening potential functional ingredients for development assessing the technological and commercial feasibility of new product ideas building in appropriate systems for validating product safety and functional benefits, for example through clinical human trials scaling up for commercial production This collection of chapters addresses this range of issues. Chapter 1 looks at the key issues of definition and an appropriate methodology for substantiating functional claims. It outlines the idea of identifying markers' in demonstrating
hence arrest their damaging reactions. Antioxidants thus play a role in the body’s defence against cardiovascular disease, certain (epithelial) cancers, visual impairments, arthritis and asthma. Antioxidants include vitamin E, carotene, vitamin C and certain phytochemicals. Functional products incorporating antioxidant supplements include sports bars containing vitamins C and E as well as a blend of several carotenoids (alpha- and gamma-carotene and lycopene). Plant foods are rich in micronutrients, but they also contain an immense variety of biologically active, non-nutritive secondary metabolites providing colour, flavour and natural toxicity to pests and sometimes humans. These ‘phytochemicals’ have been linked to reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease. They include glucosinolates and phenolic compounds like flavonoids which are very effective antioxidants. Examples of products including phytochemicals are children’s confectionery containing concentrates of vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and carrots. More recently, herbs and botanicals such as ginkgo, ginseng and guarana have been linked to improved physical and mental performance. These may lead to a new generation of ‘performance’ functional foods including these and other components such as creatin, caffeine and tryptophane. Products in this area include beverages, chewing gum and sports bars. One product that combines a range of functional claims is a fruit juice designed for the sports market containing carnitine, an amino acid to assist the body in producing energy and in lowering cholesterol, calcium to improve skeletal strength and chromium picolinate to help build lean muscle mass. Key issues in functional foods: the structure of this book The functional food industry and interested scientists face a number of key challenges: • agreeing standards for the validation of claims about the health benefits of functional foods • ensuring a regulatory framework which balances consumer protection in the way that functional claims are validated and communicated with the freedom for the industry to develop functional products profitably and effectively • identifying and screening potential functional ingredients for development • assessing the technological and commercial feasibility of new product ideas • building in appropriate systems for validating product safety and functional benefits, for example through clinical human trials • scaling up for commercial production. This collection of chapters addresses this range of issues. Chapter 1 looks at the key issues of definition and an appropriate methodology for substantiating functional claims. It outlines the idea of identifying ‘markers’ in demonstrating 4 Functional foods
Introduction the impact of a functional ingredient on a target function in the body, and also addresses the problem of how the results of such verification procedures can be communicated effectively to consumers. Chapters 2 and 3 then consider the current regulatory framework in the EU and the US respectively, including current controls on making health claims for functional products Part Il of this book consists of a series of chapters summarising the current state of research on the links between functional foods and health. an understanding of this is obviously critical to the claims that manufacturers can make about functional products. Chapter 4 looks at colonic functional foods probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics. It describes current research on their mode of operation and health benefits. Chapter 5 considers the contribution of functional foods to the prevention of coronary heart disease, identifying the role of dietary factors and considering the impact of antioxidant prebiotics and synbiotics In Chapter 6, the role of functional foods in preventing cancer is discussed, looking particularly at antioxidants, phytochemicals and dietary fibre. Finally, Chapter 7 looks at the effects of functional foods on acute disorders, assessing the role of probiotics in enhancing the immune system and in prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders In Part Ill the focus shifts to product development issues. Chapter 8 considers the range of plant sources of functional compounds and the impact of processing on these compounds. It also discusses methods of enhancing functional properties such as genetic modification, and includes case studies illustrating mprovements to plant macronutrient and micronutrient content. Building on this, Chapter 9 provides a case study of the identification of a functional plant ingredient, preparation and processing issues, applications in food and measurement Two chapters assess the issue of selecting a functional ingredient. Chapter 10 considers the research and processing issues involved in identifying a target functional ingredient from the range on offer. concentrating on functional fats and spreads. In Chapter 11, the functional confectionery market is used to nalyse the process of product development from market analysis through formulation, testing and marketing. The final chapters look at processing issues Chapter 12 discusses probiotic foods and such issues as selecting strains, pilot testing in clinical trials and commercial production. Chapter 13 looks at dietary fibre functional foods, discussing sources, processing and measurement of functional properties
the impact of a functional ingredient on a target function in the body, and also addresses the problem of how the results of such verification procedures can be communicated effectively to consumers. Chapters 2 and 3 then consider the current regulatory framework in the EU and the US respectively, including current controls on making health claims for functional products. Part II of this book consists of a series of chapters summarising the current state of research on the links between functional foods and health. An understanding of this is obviously critical to the claims that manufacturers can make about functional products. Chapter 4 looks at colonic functional foods: probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics. It describes current research on their mode of operation and health benefits. Chapter 5 considers the contribution of functional foods to the prevention of coronary heart disease, identifying the role of dietary factors and considering the impact of antioxidants, probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics. In Chapter 6, the role of functional foods in preventing cancer is discussed, looking particularly at antioxidants, phytochemicals and dietary fibre. Finally, Chapter 7 looks at the effects of functional foods on acute disorders, assessing the role of probiotics in enhancing the immune system and in prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. In Part III the focus shifts to product development issues. Chapter 8 considers the range of plant sources of functional compounds and the impact of processing on these compounds. It also discusses methods of enhancing functional properties such as genetic modification, and includes case studies illustrating improvements to plant macronutrient and micronutrient content. Building on this, Chapter 9 provides a case study of the identification of a functional plant ingredient, preparation and processing issues, applications in food and measurement. Two chapters assess the issue of selecting a functional ingredient. Chapter 10 considers the research and processing issues involved in identifying a target functional ingredient from the range on offer, concentrating on functional fats and spreads. In Chapter 11, the functional confectionery market is used to analyse the process of product development from market analysis through to formulation, testing and marketing. The final chapters look at processing issues. Chapter 12 discusses probiotic foods and such issues as selecting strains, pilot testing in clinical trials and commercial production. Chapter 13 looks at dietary fibre functional foods, discussing sources, processing and measurement of functional properties. Introduction 5
Part I General issues
Part I General issues