Bibliografía sobre Alimentos funcionales.

 

Esta revisión bibliográfica se ha realizado sobre dos bases de datos, la del CINDOC, que recoge artículos en castellano, y Medline, que recoge básicamente artículos en inglés.

 

 

CINDOC

Título: Alimentos funcionales: concepto y posibilidades de aplicación.

Autor(es): Manno, S.R.; Gonzalvo Heras, B.; Serra Majem, Ll.

Dirección: Univ. Nac. Santiago del Estero, , Argentina; Cent. Invest. Nut. Comun. Parc Cientif. Univ. Barcelona;Cat. Med. Prev. Salud Pub. Univ. Las Palmas, Las Palmas, España

Fuente: ANS. Alimentación, nutrición y salud 2001, 8 (2)

Página(s): 44-49

Descriptores: Nuevos productos alimenticios; Propiedades funcionales; Innovación tecnológica; Revisión

Resumen: La humanidad se encuentra desde aproximadamente el último decenio, ante lo que podemos considerar un hito en cuanto a las características de su alimentación: los hábitos alimentarios y la producción de alimentos. El desarrollo de los alimentos funcionales, exige como todo alimento procesado, la transformación de la materia prima en un producto con características físico-químicas y organolépticas deseables, y con propiedades de salubridad seguras, además de la creación u optimización de su componente funcional. Esto seguramente requerirá del sector industrial un mayor nivel de complejidad y monitorización de su procesamiento. La ciencia y la tecnología, por otra parte, con sus continuos aportes de conocimientos que emergerán de las últimas investigaciones del genoma humano, vegetal y animal, permitirá la optimización en la aplicación de estos alimentos y de sus resultados, con el criterio prioritario de la prevención y promoción de la salud individual y colectiva. (A)

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 Título: Futuras tendencias en la alimentación.

Autor(es): Dávalos, A.; Bartolomé, B.; Gómez-Cordovés, C.

Dirección: Inst. Nutr. Bromatol. (CSIC-UCM) Fac. Farm., Madrid, España

Fuente: Alimentación equipos y tecnología 2000, 19 (1)

Página(s): 191-196

Descriptores: Nutrición humana;Nuevos productos alimenticios;Propiedades funcionales;Revisión bibliográfica

Resumen: En este artículo se revisa la bibliografía más reciente relativa a las características de algunos de los alimentos que se consumirán en los próximos años: alimentos funcionales, alimentos naturales y otros. Una de las características más importante de todos estos alimentos es el requisito de la seguridad, tema al que se dedica un apartado especial. (A)

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 Título: Los alimentos funcionales nutracéuticos: 2. Funciones saludables de algunos componentes de los alimentos.

Autor(es): Bello, J.

Dirección: Fac. Farm. Univ. de Navarra Dep. Bromatol. Toxicol. Tecnol. Aliment., Pamplona, España

Fuente: Alimentaria 1995, 33 (267)

Página(s): 49-58

Descriptores: Industria alimentaria;Alimentos dietéticos;Propiedades funcionales

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Título: Los alimentos funcionales o nutracéuticos. I. Nueva gama de productos en la industria alimentaria.

Autor(es): Bello, J.

Dirección: Fac. Farm. Univ. Pública de Navarra, Dep. Bromatol. Tecnol. Aliment. Toxicol., Pamplona, España

Fuente: Alimentaria 1995, 33 (265)

Página(s): 25-30

Descriptores: Industria alimentaria;Alimentos dietéticos;Propiedades funcionales

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 Título: Alimentos funcionales: prebiótico (fructooligosacáridos).

Autor(es): López Alegret, P.

Dirección: Impex Química S.A., , España

Fuente: Alimentación equipos y tecnología 1997, 16 (5)

Página(s): 49-52

Descriptores: Fibra alimentaria;Fructosa;Oligosacáridos;Propiedades terapéuticas;Propiedades funcionales

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 Título: Alimentos funcionales.

Autor(es): Steinmetz, T.

Dirección: Boehringer Ingelheim

Fuente: Alimentación equipos y tecnología 1999, 18 (4)

Página(s): 149-155

Descriptores: Nutrición humana;Enriquecimiento de alimentos;Calcio;Magnesio;Citratos

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 Título: Alimentos funcionales.

Autor(es): Serrat, J.M.

Dirección: Dep. Cienc. Tecnol. Aliment. Univ. Vic., Vich (Barcelona), España

Fuente: Automática e instrumentación 1998, (284)

Página(s): 68-72

Descriptores: Higiene de los alimentos;Dieta alimentaria;Propiedades terapéuticas;Nuevas tecnologías

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 Título: Principales ámbitos clínicos de aplicación de los alimentos funcionales o nutracéuticos.

Autor(es): Bello, J.

Dirección: Fac. Farm. Univ. Navarra, Pamplona, España

Fuente: Alimentación equipos y tecnología 1997, 16 (5)

Página(s): 43-48

Descriptores: Alimentos dietéticos;Nuevos productos alimenticios;Aplicaciones terapéuticas

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 Título: La soja en la alimentación.

Autor(es): Tomé, D.; Mariotti, F.

Fuente: ANS. Alimentación, nutrición y salud 2000, 7 (2)

Página(s): 31-33

Descriptores: Alimentos vegetales;Soja;Nutrientes;Propiedades funcionales

 

 

Medline

 

TI: Introduccion a los alimentos funcionales.

[Introduction to functional food]

AU: Ros,-E

SO: Med-Clin-(Barc). 2001 May 5; 116(16): 617-9.

JN: Medicina-clinica;

IS: 0025-7753

LA: Spanish; Non-English

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

 

 

TI: Alimentos funcionales en Europa.

[Functional foods in Europe]

AU: Rocandio-Pablo,-A-M; Arroyo-Izaga,-M

SO: Rev-Clin-Esp. 2001 May; 201(5): 260-1.

JN: Revista-clinica-espanola;

IS: 0014-2565

LA: Spanish; Non-English

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

AN: 21352434

 

TI: Functional foods in pediatrics.

AU: Van-den-Driessche,-M; Veereman-Wauters,-G

SO: Acta-Gastroenterol-Belg. 2002 Jan-Mar; 65(1): 45-51.

JN: Acta-gastro-enterologica-Belgica;

IS: 0001-5644

LA: English

MA: The philosophy that food can be health promoting beyond its nutritional value is gaining acceptance. Known disease preventive aspects of nutrition have led to a new science, the 'functional food science'. Functional foods, first introduced in Japan, have no universally accepted definition but can be described as foods or food ingredients that may provide health benefits and prevent diseases. Currently, there is a growing interest in these products. However, not all regulatory issues have been settled yet. Five categories of foods can be classified as functional foods: dietary fibers, vitamins and minerals, bioactive substances, fatty acids and pro-, pre- and symbiotics. The latter are currently the main focus of research. Functional foods can be applied in pediatrics: during pregnancy, nutrition is 'functional' since it has prenatal influences on the intra-uterine development of the baby, after birth, 'functional' human milk supports adequate growth of infants and pro- and prebiotics can modulate the flora composition and as such confer certain health advantages. Functional foods have also been studied in pediatric diseases. The severity of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, intestinal allergy and lactose intolerance may be reduced by using functional foods. Functional foods have proven to be valuable contributors to the improvement of health and the prevention of diseases in pediatric populations.

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

AN: 22009757

 

TI: Probiotics: potential pharmaceutical applications.

AU: Kaur,-Indu-Pal; Chopra,-Kanwaljit; Saini,-Amarpreet

SO: Eur-J-Pharm-Sci. 2002 Feb; 15(1): 1-9.

JN: European-journal-of-pharmaceutical-sciences-official-journal-of-the-European-Federation-for-Pharmaceutical-Sciences;

IS: 0928-0987

LA: English

MA: Realisation of the importance of human gut microbiota in health restoration and maintenance has kindled an interest in probiotics. Probiotics are defined as the microbial food supplements, which beneficially affect the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance. Probiotics are the health enhancing functional food ingredients used therapeutically to prevent diarrhea, improve lactose tolerance and modulate immunity. They may also have potential to prevent cancer and lower serum cholesterol levels. Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and several other microbial species are perceived to exert such effects by changing the composition of the gut microbiota. However, it is important that exogenously administered bacteria reach and establish themselves in the large intestine in an intact form. The use of non-digestible oligosaccharides ('prebiotics') can fortify intestinal microflora and stimulate their growth. The present review encompasses information regarding the probiotics and their proposed uses. It addresses the concepts of prebiotics and synbiotics, the application of genetic engineering to produce newer probiotics. Finally, the list of commercially available products are reviewed with discussion of questions regarding the reliability, utility and the safety of these products.

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

 

TI: Prebiotics: preferential substrates for specific germs?

AU: Roberfroid,-M-B

SO: Am-J-Clin-Nutr. 2001 Feb; 73(2 Suppl): 406S-409S.

JN: American-journal-of-clinical-nutrition,-The; 

IS: 0002-9165

LA: English

MA: A prebiotic is "a non-digestible food ingredient that beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or the activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon." The premise is based on the hypothesis that the large gut in humans contains bacteria that are beneficial or detrimental to health. Although this generalization probably gives too simplistic a view of gut microbiology, it is a feasible working concept. Currently, food components that seem to exert the best prebiotic effects are inulin-type fructans. In pure culture, most species of bifidobacteria are adapted to the utilization of these nondigestible oligosaccharides but many other bacteria are also capable of metabolizing them. Clearly, these studies of pure bacteria are of limited use unless their results are supported by the results of studies using mixed cultures. Indeed, as many components of the gut microbiota as possible should be measured to indicate a true prebiotic effect. Simple stimulation of bifidobacteria is insufficient to demonstrate an effect; the effects on other gut microorganisms in vivo with human volunteers is necessary. Adjustment of the composition and activities of the colonic microflora so that health-promoting activities are optimized remains key in functional food development. New methods are being applied extensively to human gut microbiology and promise the degree of reliability required to detect subtle changes in colonic microflora composition and to correlate such changes with health benefits. This is a review of the present state of knowledge concerning prebiotics, with emphasis on the criteria used for classification, mechanisms of selective growth stimulation, and physiologic effects.

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

AN: 21090405

 

TI: Chemical composition and potential health effects of prunes: a functional food?

AU: Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis,-M; Bowen,-P-E; Hussain,-E-A; Damayanti-Wood,-B-I; Farnsworth,-N-R

SO: Crit-Rev-Food-Sci-Nutr. 2001 May; 41(4): 251-86.

JN: Critical-reviews-in-food-science-and-nutrition;

IS: 1040-8398

LA: English

MA: Prunes are dried plums, fruits of Prunus domestica L., cultivated and propagated since ancient times. Most dried prunes are produced from cultivar d'Agen, especially in California and France, where the cultivar originated. After harvest, prune-making plums are dehydrated in hot air at 85 to 90 degrees C for 18 h, then further processed into prune juice, puree, or other prune products. This extensive literature review summarizes the current knowledge of chemical composition of prunes and their biological effects on human health. Because of their sweet flavor and well-known mild laxative effect, prunes are considered to be an epitome of functional foods, but the understanding of their mode of action is still unclear. Dried prunes contain approximately 6.1 g of dietary fiber per 100 g, while prune juice is devoid of fiber due to filtration before bottling. The laxative action of both prune and prune juice could be explained by their high sorbitol content (14.7 and 6.1 g/100 g, respectively). Prunes are good source of energy in the form of simple sugars, but do not mediate a rapid rise in blood sugar concentration, possibly because of high fiber, fructose, and sorbitol content. Prunes contain large amounts of phenolic compounds (184 mg/100 g), mainly as neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids, which may aid in the laxative action and delay glucose absorption. Phenolic compounds in prunes had been found to inhibit human LDL oxidation in vitro, and thus might serve as preventive agents against chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Additionally, high potassium content of prunes (745 mg/100 g) might be beneficial for cardiovascular health. Dried prunes are an important source of boron, which is postulated to play a role in prevention of osteoporosis. A serving of prunes (100 g) fulfills the daily requirement for boron (2 to 3 mg). More research is needed to assess the levels of carotenoids and other phytochemicals present in prunes to ensure correct labeling and accuracy of food composition tables in order to support dietary recommendations or health claims.

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

AN: 21294092

 

TI: Functional foods: the US perspective.

AU: Milner,-J-A

SO: Am-J-Clin-Nutr. 2000 Jun; 71(6 Suppl): 1654S-9S; discussion 1674S-5S.

JN: American-journal-of-clinical-nutrition,-The;

IS: 0002-9165

LA: English

MA: Widespread interest in the possibility that selected foods might promote health has resulted in the coining of the term functional food, although agreement about what is and what is not a functional food is lacking. Public interest in functional foods is increasing because of higher health care costs; the passage of federal legislation affecting many food categories, including the expanded category of dietary supplements; and recent scientific discoveries linking dietary habits with the development of many diseases, including coronary heart disease and some cancers. A variety of foods have been proposed as providing health benefits by altering one or more physiologic processes. Biomarkers are needed to assess the ability of functional foods or their bioactive components to modify disease and to evaluate the ability of these foods to promote health, growth, and well-being. Evidence suggests that several biomarkers may be useful for distinguishing between diseased and nondiseased states and even for predicting future susceptibility to disease. A variety of biomarkers will probably be needed to develop a profile for an individual that reflects the impact of diet on performance and health. Another area of interest is the interaction of nutrients and their association with genetics. These interactions may account for the inconsistent interrelations observed between specific dietary constituents and the incidence of disease. Greater understanding of how diet influences a person's genetic potential, overall performance, and susceptibility to disease can have enormous implications for society. As new discoveries are made in this area, consumers will need access to this information so that they can make informed decisions.

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

 

 

TI: Concepts and strategy of functional food science: the European perspective.

AU: Roberfroid,-M-B

SO: Am-J-Clin-Nutr. 2000 Jun; 71(6 Suppl): 1660S-4S; discussion 1674S-5S.

JN: American-journal-of-clinical-nutrition,-The;

IS: 0002-9165

LA: English

MA: Recent knowledge supports the hypothesis that, beyond meeting nutrition needs, diet may modulate various functions in the body and play detrimental or beneficial roles in some diseases. Concepts in nutrition are expanding from emphasis on survival, hunger satisfaction, and preventing adverse effects to emphasizing the use of foods to promote a state of well-being and better health and to help reduce the risk of disease. In many countries, especially Japan and the United States, research on functional foods is addressing the physiologic effects and health benefits of foods and food components, with the aim of authorizing specific health claims. The positive effects of a functional food can be either maintaining a state of well-being and health or reducing the risk of pathologic consequences. Among the most promising targets for functional food science are gastrointestinal functions, redox and antioxidant systems, and metabolism of macronutrients. Ongoing research into functional foods will allow the establishment of health claims that can be translated into messages for consumers that will refer to either enhanced function or reduction of disease risk. Only a rigorous scientific approach that produces highly significant results will guarantee the success of this new discipline of nutrition. This presents a challenge for the scientific community, health authorities, and the food industry.

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

 

TI: Prebiotics and probiotics: are they functional foods?

AU: Roberfroid,-M-B

SO: Am-J-Clin-Nutr. 2000 Jun; 71(6 Suppl): 1682S-7S; discussion 1688S-90S.

JN: American-journal-of-clinical-nutrition,-The;

IS: 0002-9165

LA: English

MA: A probiotic is a viable microbial dietary supplement that beneficially affects the host through its effects in the intestinal tract. Probiotics are widely used to prepare fermented dairy products such as yogurt or freeze-dried cultures. In the future, they may also be found in fermented vegetables and meats. Several health-related effects associated with the intake of probiotics, including alleviation of lactose intolerance and immune enhancement, have been reported in human studies. Some evidence suggests a role for probiotics in reducing the risk of rotavirus-induced diarrhea and colon cancer. Prebiotics are nondigestible food ingredients that benefit the host by selectively stimulating the growth or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon. Work with prebiotics has been limited, and only studies involving the inulin-type fructans have generated sufficient data for thorough evaluation regarding their possible use as functional food ingredients. At present, claims about reduction of disease risk are only tentative and further research is needed. Among the claims are constipation relief, suppression of diarrhea, and reduction of the risks of osteoporosis, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease associated with dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, obesity, and possibly type 2 diabetes. The combination of probiotics and prebiotics in a synbiotic has not been studied. This combination might improve the survival of the bacteria crossing the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract, thereby enhancing their effects in the large bowel. In addition, their effects might be additive or even synergistic.

RO: National Library-of-Medicine

 

TI: Functional foods: an ecologic perspective.

AU: Marriott,-B-M

SO: Am-J-Clin-Nutr. 2000 Jun; 71(6 Suppl): 1728S-34S.

JN: American-journal-of-clinical-nutrition,-The;

IS: 0002-9165

LA: English

MA: A functional food is defined as any food or food ingredient that may provide a health benefit beyond that conferred by the nutrients the food contains. As nutrition scientists move into this arena, they must build on the wealth of information that already exists in plant biology. In particular, the evolutionary and physiologic bases for the production of secondary plant chemicals in plants must be considered in order to plan meaningful experiments for testing the functionality of these chemical compounds for humans. One problem that may arise is that in using the term functional food, the meaning may be lost in the continued proliferation of related terms used in product marketing. The new National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements addressed some of these issues as it developed the operating definitions described in this report.

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

 

TI: Breast milk: a truly functional food.

AU: Lonnerdal,-B

SO: Nutrition. 2000 Jul-Aug; 16(7-8): 509-11.

JN: Nutrition-Burbank,-Los-Angeles-County,-Calif;

IS: 0899-9007

LA: English

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

AN: 20368225

TI: Functional food and contemporary nutrition-health paradigm: tempeh and its potential beneficial effects in disease prevention and treatment.

AU: Karyadi,-D; Lukito,-W

SO: Nutrition. 2000 Jul-Aug; 16(7-8): 697.

JN: Nutrition-Burbank,-Los-Angeles-County,-Calif;

IS: 0899-9007

LA: English

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

 

TI: The changing face of functional foods.

AU: Hasler,-C-M

SO: J-Am-Coll-Nutr. 2000 Oct; 19(5 Suppl): 499S-506S.

JN: Journal-of-the-American-College-of-Nutrition;

IS: 0731-5724

LA: English

MA: Consumers began to view food from a radically different vantage point in the 1990s. This 'changing face' of food has evolved into an exciting area of the food and nutrition sciences known as functional foods. Functional foods can be defined as those providing health benefits beyond basic nutrition and include whole, fortified, enriched or enhanced foods which have a potentially beneficial effect on health when consumed as part of a varied diet on a regular basis at effective levels. Interest in functional foods skyrocketed in the last decade due to a number of key factors, including the growing self-care movement, changes in food regulations and overwhelming scientific evidence highlighting the critical link between diet and health. The interest in functional foods has resulted in a number of new foods in the marketplace designed to address specific health concerns, particularly as regards chronic diseases of aging. In addition to new foods designed specifically to enhance health, however, functional foods can also include those traditional, familiar foods for which recent research findings have highlighted new health benefits or dispelled old dogma about potential adverse health effects. An excellent example is the American egg-Nature's original functional food. Eggs have not traditionally been regarded as a functional food, primarily due to concerns about their adverse effects on serum cholesterol levels. Furthermore, it is now known that there is little if any connection between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol levels and consuming up to one or more eggs per day does not adversely affect blood cholesterol levels. Finally, eggs are an excellent dietary source of many essential (e.g., protein, choline) and non-essential (e.g., lutein/zeaxanthin) components which may promote optimal health. Nutrition in the new millennium will be dramatically different than it was in the 20th century. Completion of the human genome project will facilitate the identification of humans predisposed to diet-related diseases. Targeted or 'prescription' nutrition will become the norm, enabling the food and medical industries to provide timely and individualized approaches to disease prevention and health promotion. The egg will continue to play an important role in the changing face of functional foods.

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

TI: The functional food trend: what's next and what Americans think about eggs.

AU: Gilbert,-L-C

SO: J-Am-Coll-Nutr. 2000 Oct; 19(5 Suppl): 507S-512S.

JN: Journal-of-the-American-College-of-Nutrition;

IS: 0731-5724

LA: English

MA: OBJECTIVE: The Health Focus National Study of Public Attitudes and Actions Toward Healthy Foods is conducted every two years to identify current issues in consumer health and nutrition behavior and attitudes, to assess the trends in consumer priorities and to develop an understanding of where consumers are headed in their behavior towards their health and diet. This paper focuses on consumer interests in functional nutrition for disease prevention and health enhancement. It examines the role consumers see for eggs in healthy diets. METHODS: The data for this study were collected from written questionnaires completed by 2,074 qualified respondents in August, September and October of 1998. The research was conducted in two stages: 1. A telephone pre-recruit from a national probability sample of households qualified respondents as Primary Grocery Shoppers (those who make most of the food buying decisions for their household or who equally share that responsibility). 2. A 12-page, self-administered questionnaire was mailed to qualified respondents. Respondents to this survey represent shoppers in the U.S. in all respects except race. Women account for 81% of the survey respondents, since they do most of the household shopping. RESULTS: Most shoppers believe foods can offer benefits that reach beyond basic nutrition to functional nutrition for disease prevention and health enhancement. As consumers better understand the functional benefits of eggs, from Prevention to Performance, Wellness, Nurturing and Cosmetics, eggs will continue to play an important role in healthy eating for many consumers. CONCLUSIONS: Eggs are considered a healthy food by most consumers as long as they are eaten in moderation. Increased egg consumption is being driven by consumer interest in health benefits that reach beyond dietary avoidance strategies to positive nutrition strategies. Today's self-reliant approach to health creates significant opportunities for health and nutrition marketers to use knowledge-based marketing programs to shape present and future health decisions and product choices among shoppers.

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

 

TI: Functional food science in Japan: state of the art.

AU: Arai,-S

SO: Biofactors. 2000; 12(1-4): 13-6.

JN: BioFactors-Oxford,-England;

IS: 0951-6433

LA: English

MA: In 1984, a new science related to functional food was initiated by a National Project team under the auspices of the Japan Ministry of Education and Science. It was followed by a great many academic and industrial studies to occupy a central position in the field of food and nutritional sciences. In 1993, the Ministry of Health and Welfare established a policy of "Foods for Specified Health Uses" (FOSHU) by which health claims of some selected functional foods are legally permitted. Up to now (November 22. 1999), 167 FOSHU products have been born. Since the time (1984) when the concept of functional food" was proposed, it seems that the science in Japan has been progressing along, among others, a unique path of development. The uniqueness is seen in the development of functional foods by minimizing undesirable as well as maximizing desirable food factors. Hypoallergenic foods, developed from their materials by removing allergens, offer a good example. Another characteristic may be found in the field of sensory science which aims at elucidating a molecular logic of the senses of taste and smell in reference to their effects on physiological systems in the body. The paper discusses some characteristics of functional food science in Japan, with special emphasis on these topics.

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

 

TI: When is dietary fiber considered a functional food?

AU: Prosky,-L

SO: Biofactors. 2000; 12(1-4): 289-97.

JN: BioFactors-Oxford,-England;

IS: 0951-6433

LA: English

MA: Before answering the question of when dietary fiber can be considered a functional food we must first decide what can be called a dietary fiber. The generally accepted definition of dietary fiber is that of Trowell that dietary fiber consists of the remnants of edible plant cells polysaccharides, lignin, and associated substances resistant to (hydrolysis) digestion by the alimentary enzymes of humans. In Japan the food tables list the dietary fiber content of animal as well as plant tissues, while many countries accept saccharides of less than DP-10 as dietary fiber (inulin, oligofructose, Fibersol-2, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides etc.). These shorter chain oligosaccharides do not precipitate as dietary fiber in the standard Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) method, which is accepted by the US Food & Drug Administration, the US Department of Agriculture and the Food & Agriculture Organization of the World Health Organization for nutrition labeling purposes. In the United Kingdom the term dietary fiber has been replaced in nutrition labeling by nonstarch polysaccharides. Therefore the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) commissioned an ad hoc committee of scientists to evaluate continuing validity of the currently used definition, and if appropriate, to modify and update that definition. Obtaining scientific input from the community of analysts, health professionals, and dietary fiber researchers was considered a high priority. To this end three meetings were held in the space of six months to assure input from all persons knowledgeable in the field with the answer expected sometime before 2000. Dietary fiber can be considered a functional food when it imparts a special function to that food aside from the normal expected function and similarly when the dietary fiber is used as an additive to foods. For example, dietary fiber contributes to colonic health, bifidobacterial or lactobacillus stimulation in the gut, coronary artery health, cholesterol reduction, glucose metabolism, insulin response, blood lipids, cancer etc. The author discusses in detail the functional food properties of dietary fiber.

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

TI: Position of the American Dietetic Association: functional foods.

AU: Anonymous

SO: J-Am-Diet-Assoc. 1999 Oct; 99(10): 1278-85.

JN: Journal-of-the-American-Dietetic-Association;

IS: 0002-8223

LA: English

MA: It is the position of The American Dietetic Association that functional foods, including whole foods and fortified, enriched, or enhanced foods, have a potentially beneficial effect on health when consumed as part of a varied diet on a regular basis, at effective levels. The Association supports research to further define the health benefits and risks of individual functional foods and their physiologically active components. Dietetics professionals will continue to work with the food industry, government, the scientific community, and the media to ensure that the public has accurate information regarding this emerging area of food and nutrition science. Knowledge of the role of physiologically active food components, both from phytochemicals and zoochemicals, has changed the role of diet in health. Functional foods have evolved as food and nutrition science has advanced beyond the treatment of deficiency syndromes to reduction of disease risk. This position reviews the definition of functional foods, their regulation, and the scientific evidence supporting this emerging area of food and nutrition. Foods can no longer be evaluated only in terms of macronurtrient and micronutrient intake. Analyzing the content, of other physiologically active components will be necessary. The availability of health-promoting functional foods in the US diet has the potential to help ensure a healthier population. However, each functional food should be evaluated on the basis of scientific evidence to ensure appropriate integration into a varied diet.

TI: What is beneficial for health? The concept of functional food.

AU: Roberfroid,-M-B

SO: Food-Chem-Toxicol. 1999 Sep-Oct; 37(9-10): 1039-41.

JN: Food-and-chemical-toxicology-an-international-journal-published-for-the-British-Industrial-Biological-Research-Associat;

IS: 0278-6915

LA: English

MA: 'Functional Food' is now a very popular term. The conceptual approach developed in the EU-founded FUFOSE (Functional Food Science in Europe) project is rather restrictive, making functional food a food product to be part of the usual dietary pattern. Functional food science that supports the development of functional foods is and must remain part of the science of nutrition. Finally, all that exercise, that extended over the last 3 years, was function-driven because the functions and their modulation are universal, as opposed to a food or food component-driven approach,which is likely to be very much influenced by local, traditional or cultural characteristics.

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine

TI: Bringing a probiotic-containing functional food to the market: microbiological, product, regulatory and labeling issues.

AU: Sanders,-M-E; Huis-in't-Veld,-J

SO: Antonie-Van-Leeuwenhoek. 1999 Jul-Nov; 76(1-4): 293-315.

JN: Antonie-van-Leeuwenhoek;

IS: 0003-6072

LA: English

MA: Properly formulated probiotic-containing foods offer consumers a low risk, low cost dietary component that has the potential to promote health in a variety of ways. Several such products are available commercially, although markets in Japan and Europe are more developed than in the USA. Once healthful attributes of a probiotic product have been identified, there remain microbiological, product, regulatory and labeling issues to be addressed prior to marketing. Microbiological and product issues include safety, effective scale-up for manufacturing, definition of probiotic activity, probiotic stability in the product over the course of product manufacture, shelf-life and consumption, definition of effective dose and target population(s), and development of quality assurance approaches. Examples of probiotic-containing foods are given. Regulatory and labeling issues are complicated because they differ for each country, but are likewise critical because they provide the means for communication of the product benefits to the consumer. The regulatory climate worldwide appears to be one of caution about overstating the benefits of such products but at the same time not preventing corporate commitment to marketing.

RO: National-Library-of-Medicine