Safety Considerations in Developing Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals

Abstract

Functional foods and nutraceuticals provide a health benefit beyond their nutritional value and contain one or more components that positively influence physiological function and/or prevent or treat disease. The development and availability of functional foods and nutraceuticals have grown in the recent past driven by consumer demands for health-promoting properties in their food. This trend has led to a large and rapidly growing global market, currently valued at about USD260 billion. These consumer demands and the size of the market have generated intense focus on research, development and marketing of new and novel functional foods and nutraceuticals. This article highlights key issues and safety considerations in the development of these products, including the discovery of functional ingredients, suitable food vehicles, validity of health claims, efficacy of functional ingredients and foods, and assurance of safety.