Functional foods,,naturalhealth products and nutrigenomics research in Canada

Abstract

The relationship between food consumption and health outcomes has become a priority research focus in Canada. This has driven an emerging interest in functional foods, natural health products and nutrigenomics. Capitalizing on its abundant natural resources, world class research expertise, renown facilities and collaborative research environment, Canadian researchers are developing innovative approaches to reduce the incidence of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes type II and cardiovascular disease. Canada boasts approximately 15 government research centres, 16 universities and colleges, 4 technology centres and 2 institutes actively carrying out research in the area of functional foods, natural health products and nutrigenomics. These include three organizations, The Institute of Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, The Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, and The Canadian Centre for Agri-food Research in Health and Medicine, that are solely dedicated to food and health research. Many of the researchers at these organizations have benefited from investments from the Government of Canada through both the Advanced Foods and Material Network and the Canada Research Chairs Program, that have made significant investments in cutting edge functional food, natural health product and nutrigenomics research in Canada.