1.2.2 Definition of Functional Foods
Following Japan other countries and various scientific organizations attempted to create their own definitions of functional food. Along with the increase in sales worldwide, confusion among the public related to functional food also increased.
Following are the definitions given by few organizations:
• The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), United States defined functional foods as “Foods and food components that provide a health benefit beyond basic nutrition. The food assists in normal maintenance, growth and development, and/or other biologically active components that impact health benefits” (2005).
• Food and Nutrition Board, National Academy of Sciences, United States “Foods that encompass potentially healthful products, including any modified foods or food ingredients that may provide a health benefit beyond the nutrients it contains”.
• Foods for Special Dietary Use (As defined by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act) “A particular use for which a food purports or is represented to be used, including to the following: -Supplying a special dietary need that exists by reason of a physiological, pathological, or physical condition -Supplying a vitamin, mineral, or other ingredients for use by humans to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake -Supplying a special dietary need by reason of being a food for us as the sole item of diet” (2015).
• Food and Drug Administration Does not provide a legal definition for the term “functional foods,” which is currently used as a marketing idiom for the category (2015).
• American Dietetic Association (ADA), leading nutrition organization defines functional foods as “whole, fortified, enriched or enhanced” that should be consumed regularly and at effective amounts in order to derive health benefits.
However, more advanced definitions of functional food include bioactive compounds, their activity, and their effectiveness for health benefits [9]. Functional Food Centre (FFC) has suggested more advanced definition. FFC defined “functional foods” at 17th international conference in 2014, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Agricultural Research Service (ARS) jointly organized, in Panel Discussion entitled: “The Definition of Functional Foods and Bioactive Compounds” as: “Natural or processed foods that contain known or unknown biologically-active compounds; which, in defined, effective, and non-toxic amounts, provide a clinically proven and documented health benefit for the prevention, management, or treatment of chronic disease” [10, 11].
Nutraceutical Foods
Stephen DeFelice, Chairman of Foundation for Innovation in Medicine (FIM), United States coined the term “nutraceutical” from “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical” in 1989. Nutraceutical are “a food (or part of a food) that provides medical or health benefits, including the prevention and/or treatment of a disease”. Nutraceuticals are different from dietary supplements as nutraceuticals not only supplement the diet but also play important role in prevention/curing of any disease [12]. These can be complete meal or conventional food.
1.3 Classification of Functional Foods
Functional foods include a huge range of foods like whole foods along with fortified, enriched or enhanced foods, probiotics and designer foods. Functional food has been categorized as conventional foods, modified foods and functional food ingredients. Another way of classification suggest that functional foods are 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation foods which includes supplements, whole foods and novel foods respectively.
Conventional foods: Whole foods that are naturally occurring and possess beneficial effect on human physiological conditions are categorized in conventional foods. E.g. Whole fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, dairy, meats, and sea foods. Such foods contain an abundant amount of numerous bioactive compounds inherently and have been associated with good health.
Probiotics are the selective, viable microbial cell administered in adequate amount to provide numerous health promoting benefits along with basic nutrition [13]. These viable microbial dietary supplements exhibit beneficially affects in the host through its effects in the intestinal tract”. On the other hand, functional food term is used to describe nutrients that have positive effects on physiological processes beyond the traditional nutritional effect. Probiotics could enhance physiologic functions benefiting health or preventing disease and be classified as functional food ingredients [14]. It is a novel concept and good health can be achieved by nurturing the body’s naturally occurring microorganisms and ensuring the proper functioning of the digestive tract. Lactobacillus, Bifidum and Leuconostoc bacteria present in the human intestine modulate gut microbial load, prevent the flourishing of unfavorable intestinal pathogens and thus improves the microbial status of intestine [15]. The common probiotic foods are fermented milk and yoghurts present in market eg Yakult in Japan, Suntory Bikkle in Japan, Actimeal in Paris, Vifit in Netherlands, Nestle LC1 in Switzerland, and Nesvita in Switzerland. But in last few years, trend has shifted to nondairy probiotics also eg. Fermented vegetables, fruits, meats, grains, olives as large number of people are suffering from lactose intolerance and cholesterol level [16].
Modified Foods: Such foods have been modified through different ways viz., fortification, enrichment, growing practices, enzymatic, genetic, mechanical to meet the desired requirement of consumers. Food fortified with additional nutrients like minerals and vitamins in order to prevent disease are fortified foods e.g. Fruit juices fortified with Vitamin C; calcium fortified bread, ω-3 fortified breads, or phytosterol fortified spreads, vitamin D fortified milk, folic acid fortified flour and cereal products, iodine fortified salts. All these essential nutrients are added to cope up with mass health issue and are distributed under public health initiative [17].
Enriched products are the foods with added new nutrients or components that are not normally found in a particular food. e.g. Vitamin A and D addition to margarine, herb incorporated energy drinks [18]. The foods in which some functional components have been enhanced through special practices like genetic modification, agricultural practices, modified nutrient supply or postharvest treatments are categorized in enhanced foods e.g. omega-3- rich eggs by modifying chicken feed beef with high conjugated linoleic acid, functional grapes with higher antioxidant activity developed through ultraviolet irradiation, iron rich/thiamine rich rice, better healthy fatty acid composition in vegetable oils, allergen free foods, carotenoids rich canola oil, and lutein rich wheat etc.
1.4
