FUNCTIONAL FOOD

What are Functional Foods?

Functional foods can be widely described as processed food that provides medical or health benefits as well as a reduction in disease risk. There is no universal definition of functional food, but in the context of their benefits, a hallmark feature is their disease-preventing ability alongside their nutritional and health-promoting benefits. They are not considered preventative or curative by themselves and are typically not essential to the diet.

Types of functional food 

The main types of functional food are food or products which have been enriched, modified and enhanced (Siro et al. 2008). Table below provides a list of the types of functional food, which are often used. The early development of functional food are foods fortified with vitamins or minerals, such as vitamin E, vitamin C, folic acid, zinc, iron and calcium (Sloan 2000; Lau et al. 2012). The next stage of development saw food being enriched with macronutrients such as soluble fibres and omega-3 fatty acids to promote health-food intake or to prevent diseases such as cancer.

Benefit from food components

Functional food in the local market (Malaysia)

The market for functional food is enormous and still growing in Malaysia. Functional food products are considered competitive products, whereby various products under this category are often developed and introduced into the market. In line with the increase in retail sales of functional foods, retail spending per capita for functional products showed a positive trend (Figure 2). This means, the propensity of Malaysians in buying functional products is increasing. This increase is directly influenced by frequent exposure in the market and awareness among consumers toward food products that are nutritious and beneficial to improve health (Lau et al. 2012).

Functional foods can be:

• Traditional Functional Food: These are nutrient-rich natural foods that deliver health benefits other than basic nutrition, such as omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and lycopene in tomatoes. 
• Non-Traditional Functional Food: These are artificial foods prepared by adding bioactive components to help enhance health and well-being. Examples include fortified nutraceuticals such as juice with added calcium, cereal fortified with iron, flour with added folic acid. Modified functional foods can also include recombinant nutraceuticals, which are energy-producing foods such as bread, yogurt, cheese, and vinegar produced via biotechnology techniques. 

What are nutraceuticals?

Nutraceutical products can be considered non-specific biological therapies used to promote general well-being, control symptoms, and prevent malignant processes.

The term “nutraceutical” combines the two words of “nutrient,” which is a nourishing food component, and “pharmaceutical,” which is a medical drug. The name was coined in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice, founder and chairman of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine, which is an American organization located in Cranford, New Jersey.

Dietary supplements, diets, herbal products, genetically engineered foods, and vitamins are examples of these products. They have a high concentration of bioactive compounds derived from nature that have physiological benefits and aid in disease prevention and treatment.

Pre- and probiotics, fortified cereals, processed foods, and beverages are all examples of nutraceuticals.

Benefits

• Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Disease
• Improve Eye Health
• Improve Immune Function
• Improve Gut Health
• Support Reproductive Health
• Treat Inflammation
• Enhance Sports Medicine
• Prolong Life
• Improve Mental Health 

OUR DEBATE GROUP 

Here we have a debate session between groups, the topic that we need to argue which is;

• Are genetically modified foods safe/healthy for consumers? 
• Do functional food promote better health? 
• Are superfoods safe to consume?

In my group the topic debate is ''Do functional food promote better health? '' our group as opposition stick that functional food is beneficial for people nowadays, but there are limitations regarding this functional food in Malaysia. There is no official definition or legislation enacted for the production of functional food products. The Malaysian market's average functional food product is processed food that is additional food or supplements, which only need to be approved by the Malaysian Ministry of Health (KKM).  Besides that, functional foods also may induce side effects in individuals with chronic diseases or those who are under certain medications. Therefore, regulations and continuous monitoring should be taken immediately to improve the quality of functional food products in Malaysia.