Key factors for the success of functional foods

The concept of Functional Food originates in a research project started in 1984. It triggered the introduction of a health claim system for Foods for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU) in 1991. In parallel with the implementation and subsequent regulatory changes, the administration has been intensifying its control over so-called health foods and the FOSHU examination has become more stringent. In spite of the unfavorable regulatory circumstances, being inspired by academic society, many of the food industries have developed functional foods and launched them into the market as FOSHU products to bring about an annual increasing rate of 130% in the total sales amount. On the other hand, the public concern about health and nutrition is soaring. Consumers are becoming more alert to health claims and seeking much more advanced information about food products than before. Taking all of this into account, the key factors for the success of functional foods could be summarized in the following four points. 1) Use of innovative technology in scientific developments resulting in health benefits 2) A variety of new functional foods to be developed by the industries 3) Amendment of functional foods' regulations 4) Improving the consumer's understanding and knowledge of foods claiming a health benefit.     

Functional food science and food for specified health use policy in Japan: state of the art

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The science and policy of functional foods are a matter of global concern and this review provides up-to-date information about the Japanese 'food for specified health use' policy based on functional food science. RECENT FINDINGS: A great many studies on nonnutritive but physiologically functional food components have provided more precise evidence regarding the structure-function relationships that underlie the approval of food for specified health use products. SUMMARY: Functional foods, defined as those that have the potential to reduce the risk of lifestyle-related diseases and associated abnormal modalities, have garnered global interest since the 1980s when the systematic research had humble beginnings as a national project in Japan. In 1991, the project led to the launch of the national food for specified health use policy; 703 food for specified health use products with 11 categories of health claims have been approved up to the present (31 August 2007). The development of this policy has been supported basically by nutritional epidemiology, food chemistry and biochemistry, physiology and clinical medicine, and even the genomics on food and nutrition. This review also highlights the current academia-industry collaboration in Japan.     

Functional genomics of UV radiation responses in human cells

Functional foods are "foods and beverages with claimed health benefits based on scientific evidence". Health claims need to be substantiated scientifically. The future of functional foods will heavily rely on proven efficacy in well-controlled intervention studies with human volunteers. In order to have the maximum output of human trials, improvements are needed with respect to study design and optimization of study protocols. Efficacy at realistic intake levels needs to be established in studies with humans via the use of suitable biomarkers, unless the endpoint can be measured directly. The human body is able to deal with chemical entities irrespective of their origin, and the pharmaceutical terms "absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion" have their equivalent when biomarkers are concerned. Whereas only "diurnal variation" or "circadian rhythm" is sometimes considered, little attention is paid to "kinetics of biomarkers". "Kinetics of biomarkers" comprises "formation, distribution, metabolism and excretion". However, this is at present neither an established science nor common practice in nutrition research on functional foods. As a consequence, sampling times and matrices, for example, are chosen on the basis of historical practice and convenience (for volunteers and scientists) but not on the basis of in depth insight. The concept of kinetics of biomarkers is illustrated by a variety of readily comprehensible examples, such as malaria, cholesterol, polyphenols, glutathione-S-transferase alpha, F2-isoprostanes, interleukin-6, and plasma triacylglycerides.     

Insect-based dog and cat food: A short investigative review on market,claims and consumer perception

The interest in use of insects for human food has also resulted in the appearance of insect-based dog and cat food products in the market. Insect-based pet food producers are using several health and sustainability claims for marketing purposes, which are expected to be the main drivers of market growth in the near future.In this paper, we systematically synthesize information about the insect-based pet food market, investigating the type of products commercially available, providing a geographical overview and type of insect species being commonly used in these products. We then try to synthesize information about health and sustainability claims currently being used by insect-based pet food companies in different geographies. Finally, we review information about consumer perception of: (1). these products in general; and (2). claims being used to market these products.The insect-based pet food market is growing rapidly in Europe. Recent regulatory approval in the USA will push this growth in the North American market too. It appears that consumers have connected very well with sustainability, hypoallergenicity and the overall gut health claims. Finally, insect-based pet food producers should: (1). adopt systematic marketing; (2). produce more scientific evidence; and (3). actively communicate and partner with veterinarians to improve the consumer perception of claims used on insect-based pet foods.     

When Good Lawyers Write Bad History: Unreliable Evidence and the South China Sea Territorial Dispute

The recent award by an arbitral tribunal in a case brought by the Philippines against China gives lawyers reason to reexamine the historical evidence put forward by claimants in the South China Sea disputes. While the Tribunal was barred from considering territorial or boundary questions, it did cast doubt on the historical narrative rule that China has asserted in support of its claims. Fresh evidence from other sources also suggests that discussions of these matters need to move beyond arguments put forward in a small number of papers published more than thirty years ago. A close examination of the references used in those papers shows that they relied upon highly partisan Chinese sources. Recent historical research has produced new facts about the development of the competing territorial claims in the South China Sea, but international legal discourse has yet to take these findings into account. This article examines some of the key works in the field and calls for them to be reassessed and for future discussion of the disputes to be based upon verifiable and contextualized evidence rather than on nationalist assertions.     

Quality Control and Assurance: crucial for the sustainability of the applied phycology industry

The chemical and nutritional properties of microalgae are well known, which has led to an ever expanding industry for foods and dietary supplements both in terms of quantity and products. Little has been done to regulate or control quality and assurance in the applied phycology industry and it is known that it varies considerably. Nutritional aspects of produced biomass and consumption as dietary supplements have become issues of concern, especially since the industry is lucrative and fast growing. Various claims are made regarding dietary and food supplements that include health, nutrition, structure and functioning, many often unsubstantiated. Although quality is a subjective term many organisations are involved in testing, controlling and determining criteria. Today quality is more than just standards where it is an "integrated quality management approach" involving amongst others "hazard analyses and critical control points" (HACCP) practices. Microalgae are not recognised as a food or food supplement and they are also not categorised under herbals or botanicals, but as "other supplements". Produced microalgal biomass is subject to contamination from the entire range of contaminants and pathogens. Contamination of products by algal toxins in mixed culture populations also occurs. The industry has largely regulated itself, but there is considerable scope for improvement. There is a need for support and dissemination of information in the industry.     

Product Composition, Structure, and Bioavailability

Bioavailability is the fraction of an administered dose that reaches the systemic circulation. Health claims for functional foods can only be made if the ingredient reaches the target site to trigger the physiological action, hence substantiation requires good bioavailability. This is also expressed in the European Regulation on Health Claims. Albeit not new at all, a full understanding of the controlling factors for bioavailability in foods is still lacking. Foods are complex systems and can be part of a meal. The impact of product composition and the interplay with human physiology during fed or fasted state has to be understood: a functional ingredient has to be released from the product matrix into a molecularly dispersed state, either in classic solution or in micellar state. Only in the dispersed state can actives cross the gut wall. Release and dissolution are depending on both molecular physicochemical properties of the active and those of the entire product. More complex is the uptake of hydrophobic, poorly water-soluble substrates. As they do not dissolve in the aqueous intestinal environment, presence of fat, release of bile, enzymes, and gut motility to induce lipolysis are required. Surface-active bile salts together with lipolysis products create micelles containing the hydrophobic active. This imposes limitations on the formulation space for hydrophobic compounds. Finally, many ingredients are not fit for straightforward use as they compromise the stability or sensory characteristics of the product. Compartmentalization strategies, like encapsulation, may offer solutions to the problem; it should, however, not be forgotten that encapsulates themselves may effect bioavailability through the changed dynamics of the uptake processes. To explore and build a better understanding of these factors, a range of models are available and used in product formulation and claim substantiation. A structured approach and the selection of proper models will help to improve functional food formulations in the future. The content of this review has been presented at the Delivery of Functionality in Complex Food Systems Conference, University of Massachusetts, Amherst USA, 8–10 October, 2007. Both authors are full-time employees of Unilever.     

Do we know enough? A scientific and ethical analysis of the basis for genetic-based personalized nutrition

This article discusses the prospects and limitations of the scientific basis for offering personalized nutrition advice based upon individual genetic information. Two divergent scientific positions are presented, with an ethical comment. The crucial question is whether the current knowledge base is sufficiently strong for taking an ethically responsible decision to offer personalized nutrition advice based upon gene–diet–health interaction. According to the first position, the evidence base for translating the outcomes of nutrigenomics research into personalized nutritional advice is as yet immature. There is also limited evidence that genotype-based dietary advice will motivate appropriate behavior changes. Filling the gaps in our knowledge will require larger and better randomized controlled trials. According to the second position, personalized nutrition must be evaluated in relation to generally accepted standard dietary advice—partly derived from epidemiological observations and usually not proven by clinical trials. With personalized nutrition, we cannot demand stronger evidence. In several specific cases of gene–diet interaction, it may be more beneficial for individuals with specific genotypes to follow personalized advice rather than general dietary recommendations. The ethical comment, finally, considers the ethical aspects of deciding how to proceed in the face of such uncertainty. Two approaches for an ethically responsible way forward are proposed. Arguing from a precautionary approach, it is suggested that personalized dietary advice should be offered only when there is strong scientific evidence for health effects, followed by stepwise evaluation of unforeseen behavioral and psychological effects. Arguing from theoretical and applied ethics as well as psychology, it is also suggested that personalized advice should avoid paternalism and instead focus on supporting the autonomous choice of each person.     

CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE FRANKFURTERS1

Consumers want meat products that are healthful and affordable. However, consumers will repurchase a product only if it tastes good. Consumers identified reasons for purchasing frankfurters and evaluated overall acceptability of 10 commercially available frankfurters. Consumers listed “taste” as the most important factor when purchasing frankfurters; only 16% of the consumers indicated that nutrition/health was the most important criterion. Nineteen consumer-perceived sensory and liking attributes were measured for the frankfurters in this study. The intensities of the attributes ranged from low to moderately high. All the frankfurters scored in the low to moderate range for overall acceptability. Most of the scores for liking of individual attributes correlated highly with overall liking, indicating that many of the questions relating to attribute liking could be eliminated.     

The use of government to protect and promote the health of the public through nutrition.

There are broad requirements for translation of scientific knowledge in nutrition to public policy through the legislative process. First, it requires an ability to take highly objective, highly specific, scientifically derived facts--the stuff of scientific knowledge--and translate them into legislation based on highly subjective, quite general, broadly perceived values. Another requirement is to keep the level of uncertainty to tolerable levels during consideration of a legislative proposal. Finally, the governmental action proposed must conform to the perception held at that particular time of the role of government in carrying out the law. Three examples of the use of government to protect and promote the health of the public through nutrition are given. They illustrate very well the trials and tribulations of the untidy process of translating scientific knowledge in nutrition to public policy. Governmental action to improve the health of the general public through dietary means has been much a part of this country's policies. The augmentation of purchasing power of the poor, the distribution of surplus commodities to the indigent, the provision of meals to school children and the elderly, etc., are examples of govermental action. There will be further use of government to protect and promote the health of the public through nutrition. A basic requirement is further understanding of the relationship between nutrients and health through good scientific work.     

Food-derived peptides with biological activity: from research to food applications

Many peptides that are released in vitro or in vivo from animal or plant proteins are bioactive and have regulatory functions in humans beyond normal and adequate nutrition. Different health effects have been attributed to food-derived peptides, including antimicrobial properties, blood pressure-lowering (ACE inhibitory) effects, cholesterol-lowering ability, antithrombotic and antioxidant activities, enhancement of mineral absorption and/or bioavailability, cyto- or immunomodulatory effects, and opioid activities. Numerous products are already on the market or under development by food companies that exploit the potential of food-derived bioactive peptides and which ascribe scientifically evidenced health claims to consumption of these functional foods.     

HOMEOPATHY IS UNSCIENTIFIC AND UNETHICAL

In opposition to the premises of Against Homeopathy – a Utilitarian Perspective, all four respondents base their objections on the central claims that homeopathy is in fact scientifically plausible and is supported by empirical evidence. Despite ethical aspects forming the main thrust of Against Homeopathy, the respondents’ focus on scientific aspects represents sound strategy, since the ethical case against homeopathy would be weakened concomitant with the extent to which any plausibility for homeopathy could be demonstrated. The trouble here is that the respondents are attempting to perpetuate a sterile debate. The notion that homeopathic preparations could have any biological effects represents a fringe viewpoint, one not entertained by serious scientists nor supported by reason and evidence. In the present article, I shall endeavour to explain why the respondents do not have a valid case. I will deal firstly with their general approach to scientific plausibility and evidence, and then consider some of the specific claims they have made. Finally, I will answer the philosophical arguments some of the respondents have raised.     

Folic acid and primary prevention of birth defects

Birth defects (BDs) are an important public health problem, due to their overall incidence, occurring in 2-3% of live births in European Union. Neural tube defects (NTDs) are among major NTDs, due to their severity and relatively high incidence; in the meanwhile NTDs are also the most effectively preventable BDs to date. In particular, an adequate folic acid (FA) intake reduces both the occurrence and the recurrence of NTDs; FA is the synthetic form of folates, naturally occurring vitamins in a number of foods, especially vegetables. The daily intake of 0.4 mg of FA should be recommended to all women of childbearing age who plan to become pregnant. The Italian Network for Primary Prevention of BDs through FA Promotion has achieved a significant improvement in FA awareness and use in the periconceptional period. Nevertheless, primary prevention of BDs needs to make further progress; the Italian National Centre for Rare Diseases participates in european sureveillance of congenital anomalies (EUROCAT) Joint Action as coordinator of activities on the effectiveness of BDs prevention. Mandatory food fortification with FA has not been introduced in any European country. The health benefits of FA in reducing the risk of NTDs are undisputed; however mechanistic and animal studies suggest a relationship between high FA intakes and increased cancer promotion, while human studies are still inconsistent and inconclusive. A Working Group organized by the European Food Safety Authority pointed out significant uncertainties about fortification safety and the need for more studies; currently, FA intake from fortified foods and supplements should not exceed 1 mg/day in adults. In conclusion, based on up-to-date scientific evidence, the Italian Network strategy pivots on periconceptional supplementation integrated with promotion of healthy eating habits, support to health education, enhancing the role of women in managing life choices about their health and pregnancy and increasing the scientific knowledge about BDs primary prevention.     

The genomics of micronutrient requirements

Healthy nutrition is accepted as a cornerstone of public health strategies for reducing the risk of noncommunicable conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and related morbidities. However, many research studies continue to focus on single or at most a few factors that may elicit a metabolic effect. These reductionist approaches resulted in: (1) exaggerated claims for nutrition as a cure or prevention of disease; (2) the wide use of empirically based dietary regimens, as if one fits all; and (3) frequent disappointment of consumers, patients, and healthcare providers about the real impact nutrition can make on medicine and health. Multiple factors including environment, host and microbiome genetics, social context, the chemical form of the nutrient, its (bio)availability, and chemical and metabolic interactions among nutrients all interact to result in nutrient requirement and in health outcomes. Advances in laboratory methodologies, especially in analytical and separation techniques, are making the chemical dissection of foods and their availability in physiological tissues possible in an unprecedented manner. These omics technologies have opened opportunities for extending knowledge of micronutrients and of their metabolic and endocrine roles. While these technologies are crucial, more holistic approaches to the analysis of physiology and environment, novel experimental designs, and more sophisticated computational methods are needed to advance our understanding of how nutrition influences health of individuals.     

Review: In vivo and postmortem effects of feed antioxidants in livestock: a review of the implications on authorization of antioxidant feed additives

The pivotal roles of regulatory jurisdictions in the feed additive sector cannot be over-emphasized. In the European Union (EU), antioxidant substances are authorized as feed additives for prolonging the shelf life of feedstuffs based on their effect for preventing lipid peroxidation. However, the efficacy of antioxidants transcends their functional use as technological additives in animal feeds. Promising research results have revealed the in vivo efficacy of dietary antioxidants for combating oxidative stress in production animals. The in vivo effect of antioxidants is significant for enhancing animal health and welfare. Similarly, postmortem effect of dietary antioxidants has been demonstrated to improve the nutritional, organoleptic and shelf-life qualities of animal products. In practice, dietary antioxidants have been traditionally used by farmers for these benefits in livestock production. However, some antioxidants particularly when supplemented in excess could act as prooxidants and exert detrimental effects on animal well-being and product quality. Presently, there is no exclusive legislation in the EU to justify the authorization of antioxidant products for these in vivo and postmortem efficacy claims. To indicate these efficacy claims and appropriate dosage on product labels, it is important to broaden the authorization status of antioxidants through the appraisal of existing EU legislations on feed additives. Such regulatory review will have major impact on the legislative categorization of antioxidants and the efficacy assessment in the technical dossier application. The present review harnesses the scientific investigations of these efficacy claims in production animals and, proposes potential categorization and appraisal of in vivo methodologies for efficacy assessment of antioxidants. This review further elucidates the implication of such regulatory review on the practical application of antioxidants as feed additives in livestock production. Effecting these regulatory changes will stimulate the innovation of more potent antioxidant products and create potential new markets that will have profound economic impacts on the feed additive industry. Based on the in vivo efficacy claims, antioxidants may have to contend with the legislative controversy of either to be considered as veterinary drugs or feed additives. In this scenario, antioxidants are not intended to diagnose or cure diseases as ascribed to veterinary products. This twisted distinction can be logically debated with reference to the stipulated status of feed additives in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. Nonetheless, it is imperative for relevant stakeholders in the feed additive industry to lobby for the review of existing EU legislations for authorization of antioxidants for these efficacy claims.     

New developments in umami (enhancing) molecules

As health has become one of the main drivers in nutrition, the scientific interest in taste receptors and taste molecules has increased considerably. Academia as well as flavor and food companies are searching for molecules that make food more healthy but not less appetizing. In the savory area, salt and umami taste are being investigated. This review deals with the progress made in umami tasting molecules. Umami taste has been known as a separate taste for a long time in Asian countries and has been generally accepted as the fifth basic taste in the last decade of the previous century. In this review, first the current level of understanding of the umami receptors will be described. The main part of the paper will deal with the umami-tasting molecules that have been published recently, including the work that has been performed within Givaudan itself. Lactoyl amides of GMP (guanosine monophosphate) appeared to have remarkably strong umami-tasting properties.     

Essay: Avoiding unfounded health claims on small molecules in scientific literature

The publication of unfounded health claims on small molecules in peer-reviewed scientific literature is a problem that requires attention. It undermines the evidence-based decision making processes of modern-day society, weakens the credibility of the scientific enterprise, and diverts resources to futile research efforts. In the present essay we discuss some human and scientific causes behind the issue. We propose a number of actions to be taken up by scientists, referees and publishers. One particularly important factor is the issue of enigmatic compound behavior in biological assays. We therefore also introduce the idea of biological filters, a pattern recognition method to triage enigmatic compounds into valuable hits and false positives, based on the entirety of their biological effects in cell-based systems.     

The challenges facing scientists in the development of foods in Europe using biotechnology

The public's major concern over the introduction of genetic engineering into the food chain focuses on potential health risks. Proving that a food is safe is an impossible goal since there will always be a risk associated with eating food. Diets that are natural in every sense of the word pose risks but the general public believe that they are inherently less risky. The differences in risk between foods that are natural, as opposed to foods that are produced by the application of technology, are likely to be minute. Nor does it follow that they all lie in favour of `natural' food. The fact is that all foods pose a balance of risks and benefits but the scientific method has so far not been applied to its measurement. Only risk is emphasised and estimated, albeit with many conservative assumptions, often resulting in an emphasis on minute risk. Conventional plant products are not subject to the rigorous risk evaluations that apply to genetically modified plants. So the outcome is that the public only receive part of the information and this is the emphasis on risk of the `artificial' food. The only future for foods produced by biotechnology in Europe is if the public are persuaded of the real health benefits that will result from its application. Given the present state of nutritional knowledge, and the limited resources that are given to it, there are only a few clear examples of where nutritional improvement of plant food would bring really significant benefits. The paper highlights these with examples and indicates where further nutritional research will be required before other targets for improvement can be realised.     

Canadians’ Perceptions of Food,Diet, and Health – A National Survey

Background

Poor nutrition is harmful to one’s health as it can lead to overweight and obesity and a number of chronic diseases. Understanding consumer perceptions toward diet and nutrition is critical to advancing nutrition-related population health interventions to address such issues. The purpose of this paper was to examine Canadians’ perceived health and diet status, compared to their actual health status, and general concern about their own diet and beliefs about health. Also analyzed were some of the perceived barriers to eating “healthy” foods, with a focus on the availability of “healthy” processed foods.

Methods

Two surveys were administered online to a group of Canadian panelists from all ten provinces during May 2010 to January 2011. Thirty thousand were invited; 6,665 completed the baseline survey and 5,494 completed the second survey. Panelists were selected to be nationally representative of the Canadian adult population by age, sex, province and education level, according to 2006 census data.

Results

Approximately one third of Canadians perceived their health or diet to be very good while very few Canadians perceived their health or diet to be very poor. While the majority of Canadians believed food and nutrition to be very important for improving one’s health, fewer Canadians were concerned about their own diets. The majority of Canadians reported difficulty finding “healthy” processed foods (low in salt and sugar and with sufficient vitamins and minerals). Many also reported difficulty finding healthy foods that are affordable.

Conclusion

Although consumers believe that nutrition is one of the most important factors for maintaining health, there are still a number of attitudinal and perceived environmental barriers to healthy eating.     

Trading nutrition for education: nutritional status and the sale of snack foods in an eastern Kentucky school

Overweight and poor nutrition of children in the United States are becoming issues of increasing concern for public health. Dietary patterns of U.S. children indicate they are consuming too few fruits and vegetables and too many foods high in fat and sugar. Contributing to this pattern of food consumption is snacking, which is reported to be on the increase among adults and children alike. One place where snacking is under increased scrutiny, and where it is being increasingly criticized, is in U.S. schools, where snack foods are often sold to supplement inadequate budgets. This article takes a biocultural approach to understanding the nutritional status of elementary school children in a rural community in eastern Kentucky. It pays particular attention to the ways in which the school's nutrition environment shapes overweight and nutritional status for many of the children, focusing on the sale of snack foods and the reasons behind the principal's decision to sell snack foods in the school.