Perspectives on the 21st century development of functional foods: bridging Chinese medicated diet and functional foods

Functional foods, also known as nutraceuticals, medical foods or nutritional foods, are driving food markets around the world and are expected to be one of the emerging trends for the food industry in the new millennium. The concept of functional foods is rooted in a tradition, particularly in Asia, where people have always believed that a balanced diet and some herbal foods are therapeutic. However, while extensive studies in biochemistry and immunology, as well as clinical trials, have been conducted on selected functional foods or ingredients, the scientific features of most traditional herbals remain almost unknown. However, the fastest growing food market in the United States is that of herbal-based nutraceuticals such as ginseng, garlic and medical mushrooms. This review describes different aspects of functional foods and the Chinese medicated diet on the basis of current knowledge, discusses the building blocks for the science of functional foods and proposes a possible way to fuse a Chinese medicated diet into functional foods.     

Probiotics: An emerging food supplement with health benefits

Probiotics are among the important functional foods. They comprise approximately 65% of the world functional food market. Probiotic products are foods, which improve intestinal microflora and support good health of the consumer. The live bacteria present in the probiotic products are lactic acid bacteria, including Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria and Enterococci. Apart from health claims and maintenance of intestinal microflora, they protect against infections, alleviate lactose intolerance, reduce blood cholesterol levels and also stimulate the immune system. The interactive research between physiology, microbiology, food technology and molecular biology followed by clinical trials may produce a multi-functional probiotic strain for human consumption.     

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.     

Nutritional approach for designing meat-based functional food products with nuts

Meat and meat products are essential components of diets in developed countries and despite the convincing evidence that relate them to an increased risk for CVD, a growing consumption of meat products is foreseen. Epidemiological studies show that regular consumption of nuts, in general, and walnuts in particular, correlates inversely with myocardial infarction and ischaemic vascular disease. We assess the nutritional basis for and technological approach to the development of functional meat-based products potentially relevant in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk reduction. Using the available strategies in the meat industry (reformulation processes) and a food-based approach, we address the design and development of restructured beef steak with added walnuts, potentially functional for CVD risk reduction. Its adequacy as a vehicle for active nutrients is confirmed by a pharmacokinetic pilot study in humans using gamma-tocopherol as an exposure biomarker in chylomicrons during the post-prandial state. Effect and potential "functionality" is being assessed by a dietary intervention study in subjects at risk and markers and indicators related to CVD are being evaluated. Within the conceptual framework of evidence-based medicine, development of meat-based functional products may become a useful approach for specific applications, with a potential market and health benefits of great importance at a population level.     

统一功能食品标准促进功能食品研究与开发(一)--关于功能食品的定义、分类和承载基质

根据中国传统药膳和现有功能食品分类将功能食品化分成五大类,并提出使功能食品承载基质生产的标准化。     

纳米技术在功能性食品中应用

近年来,纳米技术在功能性食品中应用正处快速发展阶段,其作为高新技术在功能性食品领域应用研究得到越来越多关注;纳米技术不仅可用于功能性食品生产和加工,也可提高生物活性、吸收率、稳定性、降低毒性。该文重点介绍纳米技术在功能性食品中应用。     

植物功能性食品在促进健康和预防疾病中的作用

对一些常见的植物功能性食物在疾病预防和促进健康中的作用及其功能性因子的研究现状进行了综述。     

全球功能食品市场概况和植物营养添加剂在功能食品中的应用

“药食同源”是中国传统的智慧、哲理，吃是为了健康。这种传统正在全球的饮食文化中热起来。在全球范围内，特别是在欧美发达国家，“功能食品”、“健康食品”、“营养食品”、“强化食品”常为人们津津乐道，非常流行。本文介绍国内外功能食品市场的概况并特别介绍植物营养添加剂在功能食品中的应用前景广阔。     

Promises and problems of functional foods

"Functional" foods are branded foods, which claim, explicitly or implicitly, to improve health or well being. We review typical functional foods and their ingredients, efficacy, and safety. We also review regulations for health claims for foods worldwide. These regulations often allow manufacturers to imply that a food promotes health without providing proper scientific evidence. At the same time, regulations may ban claims that a food prevents disease, even when it does. We offer a plea for regulations that will permit all health claims that are supported by the totality of scientific evidence, and ban all claims that suggest an unproven benefit.     

功能性谷物基质非乳性益生菌的研究展望

随着消费者对保健食品的日益需求，功能性食品与食品配料的开发越来越受到食品工业的重视，本文就功能性谷物基质非乳性益生菌的开发应用潜力进行了探讨与概述，首先谷物可以作为益生菌微生物的发酵基质；同时符物作为可溶性非消化性碳水化合物的来源，既具有一些特定的生理功能，也可以作为益生原选择性的刺激人体肠道中存在的乳酸杆菌与双歧杆菌的生长；最后，淀粉等辑物组分还可以作为益生菌微胶囊化的材料以提高其在贮藏过程中与在人体消化道中的存活率。因此，功能性符物基质非乳性益生菌的研究与开发既具有挑战性也具有极大的市场前景。     

论中国传统保健食品的工业化和现代化

通过分析国内外保健食品的情况,认为我国在这一领域具有传统理论、原料等方面的优势。因此,目前中国保健食品的发展应是充分利用优势、明确功效成分、加强质量控制,并努力应用高新技术实现中国传统保健食品的工业化和现代化。     

水解胶原蛋白在保健食品和化妆品中的应用

该文介绍了胶原蛋白的结构，阐述了水解胶原蛋白的多种生理调节功能，包括促进皮肤健康、提高骨骼强度、抑制血压上升、保护胃粘膜和性抗氧化等功能。概述了水解胶原蛋白在保健食品和化妆品领域的应用，并对水解胶原蛋白的开发应用前景做了展望。     

The oxidative stability of omega-3 oil-in-water nanoemulsion systems suitable for functional food enrichment: A systematic review of the literature

There is growing demand for functional food products enriched with long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCω3PUFA). Nanoemulsions, systems with extremely small droplet sizes have been shown to increase LCω3PUFA bioavailability. However, nanoemulsion creation and processing methods may impact on the oxidative stability of these systems. The present systematic review collates information from studies that evaluated the oxidative stability of LCω3PUFA nanoemulsions suitable for use in functional foods. The systematic search identified seventeen articles published during the last 10 years. Researchers used a range of surfactants and antioxidants to create systems which were evaluated from 7 to 100 days of storage.

Nanoemulsions were created using synthetic and natural emulsifiers, with natural sources offering equivalent or increased oxidative stability compared to synthetic sources, which is useful as consumers are demanding natural, cleaner label food products. Equivalent vegetarian sources of LCω3PUFA found in fish oils such as algal oils are promising as they provide direct sources without the need for conversion in the human metabolic pathway. Quillaja saponin is a promising natural emulsifier that can produce nanoemulsion systems with equivalent/increased oxidative stability in comparison to other emulsifiers. Further studies to evaluate the oxidative stability of quillaja saponin nanoemulsions combined with algal sources of LCω3PUFA are warranted.     

我国与国外发达国家在功能食品管理上的差距

主要从法律法规的修订与衔接、功能食品标准制定、标签标识与宣传的问题、生产管理以及监督管理等几方面阐述了我国与国外发达国家在功能食品管理上的差距,提出了完善我国保健(功能)食品管理体系的意见和建议。     

Bioactive compounds in bamboo shoots: health benefits and prospects for developing functional foods

Juvenile bamboo shoots have long been used as food and in traditional medicine in many Asian countries, but scientific evidences of its health benefits have been highlighted recently. According to ancient Chinese medicinal books, the consumption of young shoots helps in improving digestion, relieving hypertension, sweating, preventing cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The young shoots are delicious and rich in nutrient components such as proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins and bioactive compounds. The health benefits of the young shoots are attributed to the presence of bioactive compounds mainly phenols, phytosterols and dietary fibres, which play a potential role in health promotion and providing protection against many chronic and degenerative diseases. Phenolic compounds in bamboos have multiple biological effects such as antioxidation, anti‐ageing, antifatigue, antimicrobial and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Dietary fibres and phytosterols have a beneficial effect on lipid profile and bowel function and reduce total serum cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol level. This study discusses the bioactive compounds in bamboo shoots and how, due to its nutritive value and health benefits, the shoots can be utilised as an ingredient in the development of functional foods.     

First investigation on ultrasound-assisted preparation of food products: sensory and physicochemical characteristics

This paper presents a comparison between manufactured food products using conventional and ultrasound-assisted procedures. Three different foam-type products, chocolate Genoise, basic sponge cake, and chocolate mousse were prepared using both methods with subsequent evaluation of the samples using both sensory and physicochemical methods. Ultrasound-assisted preparations were considered superior according to the sensory analysis, and physicochemical data confirmed this finding. This approach of applying an emerging piece of equipment, with potential industrial application to assist food preparation, consists of a new technique that could be of great interest for the development of not only other food products created by molecular gastronomy but also for practical work carried out by students.     

抗疲劳功能食品的研究进展

抗疲劳功能食品通过在食品中添加抗疲劳功效成分来达到抑制、缓解疲劳的目的。随着时代的进步、技术的发展,暴露了目前抗疲劳食品存在的一些问题,但更多的是为其发展提供了更加广阔的空间。     

A functional food product for the management of weight

More than half of Americans have a body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or more, which classifies them as overweight or obese. Overweight or obesity is strongly associated with comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart disease, gall bladder disease, and sleep apnea. Clearly, this is a national health concern, and although about 30 to 40% of the obese claim that they are trying to lose weight or maintain weight after weight loss, current therapies appear to have little effect. None of the current popular diets are working, and there is room for innovation. With the advancing science of nutrition, several nutrients - low-glycemic-index carbohydrates, 5-hydroxytryptophan, green tea extract, and chromium - have been identified that may promote weight loss. The first two nutrients decrease appetite, green tea increases the 24-h energy expenditure, and chromium promotes the composition of the weight lost to be fat rather than lean tissue. These have been assembled in efficacious doses into a new functional food product and described in this review. The product is undergoing clinical testing; each component has already been shown to promote weight loss in clinical trials.     

食用菌功能食品的研究与开发

介绍了食用菌的营养价值和功能成分,阐述了食用菌功能食品的开发范围、加工形式及国内外开发现状,并展望了其发展前景。     

排铅功能性食品研究进展

铅毒是世界范围内公害,该文介绍促排铅作用机理及功能因子和排铅功能性食品研究进展;并指出目前排铅功能性产品中存在问题,分析其原因,旨在为排铅功能性产品开发研究和铅毒防治提供参考。