TRELOAR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL  INC. 

DESIGNER FOODS

- MEDICAL FOODS -

NUTRACEUTICALS

Can the foods we eat fight disease?
If you have asked this question, then you are a part of the "NUTRACEUTICAL" revolution in the food industry. Stephen DeFelice, MD., chair and founder of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine (FIM) defines nutraceuticals as any substance considered a food, or part of a food with medical or health benefits, including the prevention, treatment or cure of disease. " The bioactive ingredients in plants are also called "phytochemicals".

Research studies over the last decade have indicated that foods may contain disease preventing components. For example, an association has been consistently observed between the increased consumption of total Vitamin A, carotene, and green and yellow vegetables and a decreased risk of certain cancers in populations. This link is considered to be the result of antioxidant protection offered by the foods. The Vitamins C, E and beta carotene are considered to be antioxidant vitamins. However, these vitamins are not the only nutraceuticals. In fact, technical journals identify fourteen classes of phytochemicals believed to posses cancer preventative properties!

What do antioxidants do?
The theory of antioxidant action is based on the "free radical" theory of aging. It is proposed that free radicals are produced in the body as a normal part of life.

These free radicals are very reactive and ready to "attack" and oxidize the fats present in cell membranes. Oxidative degradation causes cell damage and plays a role in aging and disease.

However, there are many unanswered questions. Which phytochemical provides the antioxidant action? Is the effect due to interactions of phytochemicals? Does the nutraceutical provide health benefits only when bound in the food matrix or does supplementation give the same effect? There are studies being conducted around the world to answer these questions.

One study initiated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) will investigate "designer foods" and cancer prevention. The designer foods will be processed foods supplemented with food ingredients rich in cancer-preventing substances. The six foods at the center of NCI's Experimental Foods Program are garlic, cabbage, licorice, soybeans, ginger, and umbelliferae (carrots, celery, parsnips). The results of this five year program may lead to a new industry of "designer" or "functional" foods.

According to Stephen DeFelice the nutraceutical revolution is here. The designer food market may offer a tremendous opportunity for new food product development. Are you ready to join the revolution?

Reprinted from "FOCUS", the food product development newsletter from
Treloar Product Development International Inc., Cobourg, Ontario
Telephone: 905-372-7312