Attitudes behind consumers'' willingness to use functional foods

So-called functional foods are a new category of products that promise consumers improvements in targeted physiological functions. The objective of this study was to quantify the attitudes behind consumers' (n=1158) willingness to use these products. Functional food-related statements formed seven factors describing consumers' attitudes towards functional foods. These factors were as follows: perceived reward from using functional foods, confidence in functional foods, necessity for functional foods, functional foods as medicines, absence of nutritional risks in functional foods, functional foods as part of a healthy diet and the health effects of functional foods vs. their taste. These attitude subscales differentiated between consumers (n=1158) in their reported willingness to use functional foods. The best predictor for willingness to use functional foods was the perceived reward.     

Functional Beverages: The Emerging Side of Functional Foods

In recent times, there has been growing recognition of the key role of foods and beverages in disease prevention and treatment. Thus, the production and consumption of functional foods has gained much importance as they provide a health benefit beyond the basic nutritional functions. At present, beverages are by far the most active functional food category because of convenience and possibility to meet consumer demands for container contents, size, shape, and appearance, as well as ease of distribution and storage for refrigerated and shelf‐stable products. Moreover, they are an excellent delivering means for nutrients and bioactive compounds including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, ω‐3 fatty acids, plant extracts, and fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics. However, in most cases, specific concerns have been raised over their safety. This review reports on the scientific advances in the emerging area of functional beverages with a focus on commercially available products, as well as on the potential health benefits related to their consumption.     

Functional foods: a survey of health claims, pros and cons, and current legislation

Functional foods stand for a new category of remarkably promising foods bearing properties (i.e., low cholesterol, antioxidant, anti-aging, anticancer, etc.) that have already rendered them quite appealing. There are many classes offunctionalfoods (pro- and pre-biotics, dietary fiber, low fat, etc.), and their definition is occasionally confused with that of nutraceuticals and novel foods. Consumers' main skepticism regarding functional foods resides in the veracity of health claims and in the low and often inadequate control of their claimed properties. Legislation concerning this matter is progressing at an extremely low pace and currently only Japan, the U.K., U.S.A., and Scandinavian countries have managed to make notable progress. Moreover, the labeling of functional foods is far from informative, providing scanty information about nutritional value, storage, and cooking recipes. It is anticipated that technological advances in the food industry, in conjunction with extensive clinical trials and governmental control, will eventually guarantee the credibility of health claims and ensure consumers' confidence in functional foods.     

Implications of domestic food practices for the presence of bioactive components in meats with special reference to meat-based functional foods

ABSTRACT

Although an essential component of the diet, the consumption of meat is in question. Meat is a major source of beneficial compounds but it also contains other substances with negative health implications. Functional foods, which are leading trends in the food industry, constitute an excellent opportunity for the meat sector to improve healthier meat options. Most studies on meat-based functional foods have focused mainly on the application of different strategies (animal production practices and meat transformation systems) to improve (increase/reduce) the presence of bioactive (healthy/unhealthy) compounds; these have led to the development of numerous products, many of them by the meat industry. However, like other foods, after purchase meats undergo certain processes before they are consumed, and these affect their composition. Although domestic handling practices can significantly alter the make-up of the marketed product in terms of healthy/unhealthy compounds, there are very few studies on their consequences. This article provides an overview of the influence of different domestic practices (from shopping to eating) habitually followed by consumers on the presence of, and consequently on the levels of exposure to, (healthy and unhealthy) food components associated with the consumption of meats, with special reference to meat-based functional foods.     

The role of beliefs in purchasing process of functional foods

This study utilizes food values in conjunction with willingness to pay (WTP) measures to identify consumers’ subjective beliefs about functional foods. We conducted a non-hypothetical, second price experimental auction (i.e., a Vickrey auction) to estimate WTP for a new functional snack made with white lupine and citrus fiber. A sample of 156 consumers was surveyed in Catania, Sicily (Italy) in July 2015. The findings of the economic experiment reveal a WTP premium for the new functional snack, a premium which depends on functional components but also on other characteristics that go beyond intrinsic healthy properties. Consumers’ WTP for functional foods significantly varies with food values related to origin, safety, naturalness, price, etc., which implies consumers have different subjective beliefs about functional and non-functional foods. These findings have implications for the food sector attempting to design and promote consumption of functional foods, and suggest health is not the only factor motivating functional food purchases.     

Design and development of meat-based functional foods with walnut: Technological,nutritional and health impact

With growing understanding of the relationship between diet and health has come the emergence of so-called functional foods. The idea of using food for health purposes and not merely as a source of nutrients opens up a whole new field in the meat industry. In addition to traditional presentations, there a number of ways in which the meat sector can modify the qualitative and quantitative composition of meat and meat product components and produce designer foods with specific properties. This entails addressing quality factors associated with different product properties (sensory and technological properties, hygiene, convenience, stability, etc.), nutritional value (balanced composition and bioactive substances) and their effects on physiological function and health. This article reviews a comprehensive model for the development of meat-based functional foods based on a presentation of the research achieved in terms of the design and development of qualitatively and quantitatively modified meat products (through reformulation) in nutrients associated with cardiovascular risk (walnut as a source of bioactive substances). It also discusses their bioavailability and the effect of their consumption on intermediate cardiovascular risk markers in humans.     

Development and assessment of healthy properties of meat and meat products designed as functional foods

This review deals with the two major aspects to be considered in the context of meat-based functional foods and human health. One involves the different strategies used to improve (increase or reduce) the presence of bioactive (healthy and unhealthy) compounds in meat and meat products in order to develop potential meat-based functional foods; these strategies are basically concerned with animal production practices, meat processing and storage, distribution and consumption conditions. Since the link between the consumption of those foods and their potentially beneficial effects (improving health and/or reducing the risk of several chronic diseases) needs to be demonstrated scientifically, the second aspect considered is related to intervention studies to examine the functional capacity of meat-based potentially functional foods in humans, discussing how the functionality of a food can be assessed in terms of its effects on health in relation to both target body functions and risk factors.     

日本保健功能食品的管理及对我国的启示

目的为了完善我国保健食品法律法规及管理措施,增强保健食品监管的统一性和专业性,促进保健食品行业健康有序的发展。方法本文通过文献研究、专家座谈以及企业调研等方法梳理了日本保健功能食品管理的具体办法。结果通过研究可知日本保健功能食品分为特定保健用食品、功能性标示食品及营养功能食品三个类别,不同类别采用不同的产品审批模式,同时部分原料实现了标准化管理。结论日本保健功能食品的原料根据产品的不同分类进行管理,同时企业承担主体责任的做法对我国保健食品的原料管理有一定的启示。     

Encapsulation of probiotic living cells: From laboratory scale to industrial applications

In the recent past, there has been a rising interest in producing functional foods containing encapsulated probiotic bacteria. According to their perceived health benefits, probiotics have been incorporated into a range of dairy products but the major current challenge is to market new probiotic foods. In the research sector, many studies have been reported using dairy products like cheese, yogurt and ice cream as food carrier, and non-dairy products like meat, fruits, cereals, chocolate, etc. However, in the commercial sector only few products containing encapsulated probiotic cells can be found. Nutraceuticals are another important vector for probiotics already developed by several companies in a capsule or a tablet form. The review compiles the technologies used to encapsulate the cells in order to keep them alive and the food matrices used in the research and commercial sector for delivery to the consumer.     

The mediating role of subjective health complaints on willingness to use selected functional foods

There is an increasing demand for functional foods in the market because such foods can either enhance physiological function or reduce disease risks. The present study draws on a research to develop a model that is believed to shed light on the extent to which modern health worries (MHWs), negative affect (NA), and healthy lifestyles (HL) are relevant to consumers’ willingness to use functional foods in Taiwan through the mediator of consumers’ subjective health complaints (SHCs). As expected, the results indicated that consumers’ SHCs play a mediating role in the relationship between NA and attitudes toward functional foods and in the relationship between HL and attitudes toward functional foods. Moreover, though people’s MHWs do not lead directly to SHCs, they do have a direct impact on their attitudes toward functional foods, resulting in further influencing their willingness to use such foods. Some suggestions for the public, the government authorities, and the marketers of functional foods are also provided in this study.     

Meat as a functional food with special reference to probiotic sausages

Consumers believe that foods are associated directly to their health. Today foods are not only used to satisfy our hunger but also to provide indispensible nutrients for humans and these nutrients having the health benefits regarding in controlling the diseases. The market for functional foods has seen a sharp rise in demand in the recent years. This has driven researchers to multiply their efforts in producing functional meat products also. Feed manipulation and post-mortem modification of meat coupled with enrichment of bioactive compounds are gaining importance. This review discusses the candidate ingredients and strategies, utilized in crafting such functional meat products, and the notable developments and commercial successes in functional meat industry. Dry fermented sausages meet the conditions required to carry viable probiotic microbes. This article enlists various microorganisms that are being commercially used in functional food products and potential bacteria for probiotic sausage production.     

Modifying Bitterness in Functional Food Systems

The functional foods sector represents a significant and growing portion of the food industry, yet formulation of these products often involves the use of ingredients that elicit less than desirable oral sensations, including bitterness. Promising new functional ingredients, including polyphenolics, may be more widely and readily employed in the creation of novel functional foods if their aversive bitter taste can be significantly reduced. A number of approaches are used by the industry to improve the taste properties and thus the acceptance of conventional foods that elicit excessive bitterness. This article reviews the most commonly employed techniques, including the use of bitter-modifying additives, which may prove useful for successfully introducing new functional ingredients into this rapidly growing sector.     

益生菌在我国保健食品中的应用进展

由于益生菌类原料在调节肠道菌群和增强免疫力保健功能的研究比较系统,健康功效明确,因此,其在保健食品中应用越来越广泛,而且部分菌株已被国家市场监督管理总局明文规定允许用于婴幼儿食品的开发.随着科学技术的快速发展以及相关研究的不断深入,益生菌类原料具有的其它保健功能不断被发掘,而且作用机理也不断明晰,这为其在保健食品行业的...     

Functional foods from the perspective of the consumer: How to make it a success?

Functional foods have become the corner stone of food innovation in the past few years. All big food companies are investing in functional foods because the mega trends in society seem to require healthy food with added benefits to improve the health, wellness and quality of life of people. The food companies have not only adapted their strategies and their communication to the health awareness and request of consumers but they have also changed their innovation process. And yet, there are more failures of functional food products out in the markets than there are global successes. The analysis of this phenomenon shows that the invention of new food products has to start in the mind of the consumers. A consequent orientation at consumer insights, translated into relevant, noticeable benefits, added to trustworthy and adequate brands, may be one potential route to market success.     

2001年～2005年进口保健食品情况分析

为了解进口保健食品的一般情况，分析了我国2001年～2005年的进口保健食品的国家分布及数量、配方组成、保健功能和功效成分。保健食品主要从美国进口，占全部进口保健食品的61％。配方组成有5类，分别是植物提取物类、营养素类、单一功效物质类、动植物油脂类、动物提取物类。申报的保健功能有25种，以补充营养素、免疫调节和抗疲劳较多。63％的进口保健食品有明确的功效成分。结果提示应加强进口保健食品的政策导向，以满足我国人民的健康需要。     

煎炸及烤制食品中危害物的形成与控制研究进展

煎炸、烤制烹饪工艺是食品烹饪加工方法中重要的组成部分,其因烹饪过程赋予食品独特的色泽、风味及质地而深受消费者喜爱。然而,这两种烹饪方式在促使食品产生诱人色泽及松脆外壳的同时,由于加工温度过高也会伴随产生杂环胺、丙烯酰胺、多环芳烃等化合物,对人体健康产生较大危害。本文通过探究煎炸、烤制烹饪方式过程中危害物形成机制、影响因素及抑制措施,并期望能够以此为基础提出更为科学合理的烹饪方法,这对消费者健康饮食具有重要的指导意义。     

Optimizing the diet with whole grains

Dietary recommendations may be perceived by the general population as causing a shift to less food and perhaps to less aesthetically pleasing foods often resulting in noncompliance. Technology can play a key role in this scenario by creating new formulated foods as well as by utilizing technology to modify whole foods or foods containing whole foods and enhancing both their health benefits and acceptability. At present we have evidence for a positive role in health of nutrients and many nonnutrients in foods, such as whole grains. However, all the linkages between dietary components and disease are not clear. Therefore, it is critical to design not only appealing formulated foods, but to also ensure adequate consumption of whole foods in order to obtain those compounds we know to be linked to good health, as well as those yet‐unknown compounds or interactions in food that are also linked to good health. In all cases, the technical and functional properties of food, as well as the nutritional, must be considered in order to optimize acceptability and assist in achieving compliance in meeting dietary recommendations.     

Probiotic potentials of cereal-based beverages

Probiotics offer remarkable potential for the prevention and management of various infective and noninfective disorders. They are reported to play key roles in the suppression of gastrointestinal infections, antimicrobial activity, improvement in lactose metabolism, reduction in serum cholesterol, immune system stimulation, antimutagenic properties, anticarcinogenic properties, anti-diarrheal properties, and improvement in inflammatory bowel disease. Although probiotic foods are classically confined to beverages and cheese, containing live organisms of the lactic acid bacteria family, such health-promoting foods are traditionally dairy-based, comprising milk and its fermented products. However, recent research focuses on the probiotic potentials of fermented cereal-based beverages which are especially consumed in developing countries characterized by low nutritional security and high incidence of gut pathogen infections. Moreover, lactose intolerance and cholesterol content associated with dairy products, coupled with the vegetarian tendencies of diverse populations in the third world, tend to enforce the recent recourse to nondairy beverages. Probiotic microorganisms are mostly of human or animal origin; however, strains recognized as probiotics are also found in nondairy fermented substrates. This review examines the potentials of some traditional cereal-based beverages to serve as probiotic foods, their microbial and functional properties, as well as their process optimization and storage for enhanced utilization.     

Exploiting microorganisms to develop improved functional meat sausages: A review

In recent years, much attention has been paid to physiological functions of foods due to increasing concerns for human health. Accordingly, several meat-based bioactive compounds have been studied as potential health-promoting substances. Among these emphasizing activities, one possible approach is deploying microorganisms for improving health image of meat and meat-based products with special reference to meat sausages. The uses of functional starter cultures with an industrially or nutritionally important functionality are being explored for enhancing the functionality and nutritional value of meat sausages. This article mainly focuses on the role and possibilities of using microorganisms for development of functional meat sausages.     

Ultraprocessed plant-based foods: Designing the next generation of healthy and sustainable alternatives to animal-based foods

Numerous examples of next-generation plant-based foods, such as meat, seafood, egg, and dairy analogs, are commercially available. These products are usually designed to have physicochemical properties, sensory attributes, and functional behaviors that match those of the animal-sourced products they are designed to replace. However, there has been concern about the potential negative impacts of these foods on human nutrition and health. In particular, many of these products have been criticized for being ultraprocessed foods that contain numerous ingredients and are manufactured using harsh processing operations. In this article, the concept of ultraprocessed foods is introduced and its relevance to describe the properties of next-generation plant-based foods is discussed. Most commercial plant-based meat, seafood, egg, and dairy analogs currently available do fall into this category, and so can be classified as ultraprocessed plant-based (UPB) foods. The nutrient content, digestibility, bioavailability, and gut microbiome effects of UPB foods are compared to those of animal-based foods, and the potential consequences of any differences on human health are discussed. Some commercial UPB foods would not be considered healthy based on their nutrient profiles, especially those plant-based cheeses that contain low levels of protein and high levels of fat, starch, and salt. However, it is argued that UPB foods can be designed to have good nutritional profiles and beneficial health effects. Finally, areas where further research are still needed to create a more healthy and sustainable food supply are discussed.