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The claim game: how functional are functional foods? What makes a food functional depends on its added ingredients.
Nutraceuticals: Fiber, antioxidants and herbs added to foods and beverages that ordinarily don't contain them--such as soda--thereby turning them into functional foods? Huh? Consumers are confused. And who can blame them?
Functional or designer foods comprise one of the fastest-growing sectors of the food industry. Nutrition Business Journal, which monitors functional foods, reports that designer foods have gone from virtual non-existence a decade ago to a $50 billion market worldwide today. Their success is clear. What they are is not.
health claims
The term "functional food" was coined in the mid-1980s in Japan when an aging population prompted focus on the role of food in preventing age-related disease. The outcome was that there are specific foods that can help stave off heart disease, guard against cancer and so on. But, the functional-food focus remained primarily on whole foods such as garlic and fish.
For years, Japanese and American companies yearned to market processed foods with the same health claims associated with whole, functional foods. The hurdle was the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which rarely approves health claims for use on product labels.
But in 1994, the federal regulations changed, and manufacturers were allowed to make "structure or function" claims--that is, to describe how a product affects the body--while still being forbidden from making "health claims" that mention specific diseases. The FDA doesn't pre-approve these statements, and they appear on many supplements and foods.
herbal additives
- Focus on functional foods and related health claims.
- Magazine article from: Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery Katic, Lisa January 1, 2007 700+ words
...regulation on functional foods, stating that...those that bear health claims, must meet the...companies misuse health claims on food labels...regulatory action on functional foods and health claims, as the agency...
- Food industry, consumer groups spar over how FDA should handle functional-foods...
- Magazine article from: Packaging Digest January 1, 2007 700+ words
The food industry urges federal regulators to allow broader health claims on energy drinks, power bars and other so-called functional foods amid criticisms from consumer groups that those claims can be misleading.
- A note on the economic rationale for regulating health claims on functional...
- Magazine article from: Health Law Review Herath, Deepananda Henson, Spencer Cranfield, John September 22, 2006 700+ words
...Regulating health claims continues to...challenges involving functional foods, nutraceuticals...regulations on health claims are multifaceted...regulation of health claims. In particular...effects of functional foods and nutraceuticals...
- Health claims for functional foods.
- Newspaper article from: The Kiplinger Agriculture Letter October 10, 1997 700+ words
Back to functional foods, what to expect...nutrient content, health claims. Measure will make...for producers to use health claims. Expanded labels...Gov't-supported health claims will be used. Published...
- Functional foods.(products enriched with popular herbs make questionable health...
- Newspaper article from: Nutrition Action Healthletter Brophy, Beth Schardt, David April 1, 1999 700+ words
...of Americans already eat functional foods. They routinely start...of either. In a sense, functional foods have been around since...There's no doubt that functional foods are changing the food supply...approving so-called "health claims" on labels. But those...
- Malaysian regulations on health claims for nutraceuticals and functional foods.
- Magazine article from: Nutraceuticals International March 1, 2000 700+ words
...definitions of nutraceuticals and functional foods are still not conclusive...country. Nutraceuticals and functional foods have flooded the Malaysian...area of nutraceutical and functional foods is still under active research...conclusive clinical trials for health ...
- Japan redefines functional foods. (includes related article on Japan's policy...
- Magazine article from: Prepared Foods Kubomura, Kiyoko May 1, 1998 700+ words
...regulatory system allows branded nutraceuticals to make individual health claims. In the Japanese Edo period 150 years ago, a wealthy merchant...functional ingredients are individually approved to carry various health claims, such as the ability to improve intestinal tract health...
- Functional Foods: Principles and Technology Provides both Students and...
- Press release article from: M2 Presswire November 5, 2008 700+ words
...History and market. Awareness of functional foods. Evolution of healthcare and functional foods. Health claims approved by FDA. Human body system and functional foods. Syllabus. Introduction. Antioxidants...
