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INFOMATEK
Volume 5 Nomor 1 Maret 2003
FUNCTIONAL FOOD
Dr. Wisnu Cahyadi, Ir., MSi
Department Food Technology
Faculty of Technique-Pasundan University
Abstract : It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that functional foods, including whole foods and
fortified, enriched, or enhanced foods, have a potentially beneficial effect on health when consumed as part of a
varied diet on a regular basis, at effective levels. The Association supports research to define further the health
benefits and risks of individual functional foods and their physiologically active components. Dietetics
professionals will continue to work with the food industry, the government, the scientific community, and the
media to ensure that the public has accurate information regarding this emerging area of food and nutrition
science. Knowledge of the role of physiologically active food components, from both phytochemicals and
zoochemicals, has changed the role of diet in health. Functional foods have evolved as food and nutrition
science has advanced beyond the treatment of deficiency syndromes to reduction of disease risk. This position
reviews the definition of functional foods, their regulation, and the scientific evidence supporting this emerging
area of food and nutrition. Foods can no longer be evaluated only in terms of macronutrient and micronutrient
content alone. Analyzing the content of other physiologically active components and evaluating their role in
health promotion will be necessary. The availability of health-promoting functional foods in the US diet has the
potential to help ensure a healthier population. However, each functional food should be evaluated on the basis
of scientific evidence to ensure appropriate integration into a varied diet.
Key word : Fuctional foods, food and nutrion, regulation
I. INTRODUCTION
Expanding
knowledge
Although functional foods remain undefined
of
the
role
of
under current US food regulations, they are
physiologically active food components, from
usually
both
animal
healthful food or food ingredient that may
(zoochemicals) sources, has notably changed
provide a health benefit beyond the traditional
the role of diet in health. The development of
nutrients it contains
“functional foods” has evolved as food and
implies that the food has some identified value
nutrition science has advanced beyond the
leading to health benefits, including reduced risk
(1).
for disease, for the person consuming it.
plant
(phytochemicals)
and
treatment of primary deficiency syndromes
understood
to
(2).
be
any
potentially
The term “functional”
Infomatek Volume 5 Nomor 1 Maret 2003 : 57 - 64
Regardless, leaders in the field agree that,
consumers regarding how to most appropriately
despite the absence of a consensus definition,
integrate functional food products into an overall
functional foods will continue to have a major
varied and healthful eating plan.
impact on the American and international food
supply
(3,4).
A random telephone survey of US
II. DEFINING FUNCTIONAL FOODS
consumers conducted for the American Dietetic
There is no universally accepted definition of
Association
a
functional foods; however, several organizations
are
have attempted to define this emerging food
interested in diet and its potential role in
category. The International Food Information
improving health. In fact, about 50% identified
Council (IFIC) defines functional foods as foods
functional foods such as soy and berries as
that provide health benefits beyond basic
having “health-related effects”
nutrition
significant
supported
the
percentage
of
notion
that
consumers
(5).
In addition, the
(2).
This definition is similar to that of the
International Food Information Council March
International Life Sciences Institute of North
2002 survey reported that 94% of consumers
America (ILSI), which has defined functional
agree that certain foods have health benefits
foods as foods that, by virtue of physiologically
that go beyond basic nutrition, and 85% of
active food components, provide health benefits
survey
beyond basic nutrition
participants
expressed
interest
learning more about functional foods
in
(6).
defines
functional
(9).
foods
Health Canada
as
“similar
in
appearance to a conventional food, consumed
As the food industry has responded to consumer
demand for a more healthful food supply, the
variety of functional foods that are currently
available
to
consumers
has
grown
tremendously, and functional foods account for
an increasing percentage of all new food
products
(7).
The American Council on Science
and Health recently reviewed the scientific
evidence for the health-promoting effects of
as part of the usual diet, with demonstrated
physiological benefits, and/or to reduce the risk
of chronic disease beyond basic nutritional
functions”
(10).
The Institute of Medicine of the
National Academy of Sciences limits functional
foods to those in which the concentrations of
one or more ingredients have been manipulated
or modified to enhance their contribution to a
healthful diet (11).
specific functional foods and established a
Likert-type scale for classification ranging from
According to these definitions, unmodified whole
(8).
foods such as fruits and vegetables represent
Dietetics professionals, with broad training and
the simplest form of a functional food. For
expertise in foods and nutrition, will be integral
example, broccoli, carrots, or tomatoes would be
to interpreting the science and then educating
considered functional foods because they are
very strong evidence to weak evidence
58
Functional Food [Wisnu Cahyadi]
rich in such physiologically active components
likely that the quantity of enhanced foods will
as sulforaphane, beta carotene, and lycopene,
expand substantially. Functional foods
respectively. Modified foods, including those that
viewed as one option available to Americans
have been fortified with nutrients or enhanced
seeking cost-effective health care and improved
with phytochemicals or botanicals, also fall
health status, and they will continue to transform
within the realm of functional foods. In addition,
the American food supply.
are
food biotechnology will continue to provide new
IV. REGULATION OF FUNCTIONAL FOODS
venues for functional food development.
The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA)
III. RATIONALE
involvement with functional foods has expanded
Development of functional food products will
in recent years; however, the regulation of
continue to grow throughout the 21st century as
functional foods remains confusing
consumer demand for healthful products grows
current
(16).
components can be placed into a number of
Factors contributing to this reshaping of the
food supply include the following:
regulations,
existing
regulatory
functional
(16,17)
. Under
foods
categories,
or
including

an aging population;
conventional

increased health care costs;
supplements, medical foods, or foods for special

self-efficacy, autonomy in health care,
dietary use. These categories fall under the
and an awareness
Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA)

and desire to
food
additives,
dietary
enhance personal health;
of 1938, as amended, and are implemented
advancing scientific evidence that diet
under regulations from the FDA. The category
can
used to define a specific functional food or
alter
disease
prevalence
and
component depends on how the manufacturer
progression (14); and

foods,
most
importantly,
changes
in
food
selectively positions and markets the product for
its intended use and the specific label claim
regulation.
associated
with
the
food
item.
Nutrients and nonnutritive food components
have also been associated with the prevention
The most well established and scientifically
and/or treatment of chronic diseases such as
sound approach to labeling and marketing a
cancer,
diabetes,
functional food is through the use of FDA-
As the data
approved health claims delineated by law under
supporting the role of diet in health promotion
the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA)
and disease prevention continue to mount, it is
of 1990
coronary
heart
disease,
hypertension, and osteoporosis
(15).
(18).
The health claims authorized under
59
Infomatek Volume 5 Nomor 1 Maret 2003 : 57 - 64
the NLEA are statements that describe a
components, precise levels of recommended
relationship between a food substance and a
intake will be established only when adequate
disease or other health-related condition (ie, a
scientific evidence exists.
“risk reduction” relationship). The law mandates
that a health claim be authorized in the labeling
of FDA-regulated products only if significant
scientific agreement among qualified experts
exists about the validity of the relationship
described in that claim. Under the NLEA,
companies petition the FDA to consider new
health claims. Thirteen NLEA health claims
authorized
by
the
FDA
currently
exist.
Substantial clinical efficacy and documentation
are an important part of a company’s petition
Many functional foods or food components will
require continued in vivo and in vitro research,
as well as pharmacokinetic studies, before
specific levels can be determined for clinical trial
investigations. Once clinical trials have been
completed, more specific recommendations can
be formulated. In addition, a large percentage of
dietary data collected historically provide limited
information
regarding
the
exact
intake
of
physiologically active food components because
few databases for nonnutritive food components
submission to the FDA
have been developed (16).
Current
V. LEVELS OF INTAKE
Safe levels of intake must be considered when
evaluating functional foods in the context of a
healthy diet. For the majority of research
studies, the optimal levels of nutrients and other
physiologically active components in functional
foods have yet to be determined in humans.
Animal research has provided some indication
of desired intake; however, these data are
difficult
to
extrapolate
to
human
dietary
requirements. The Table lists the approximate
levels of intake whole foods or select nutrients,
phytochemicals, and other food constituents
used in the development and marketing of
functional foods generally associated with health
promotion
or
disease
prevention
(22–27).
However, for the majority of functional food
dietary
measurement
are
somewhat limited in terms of providing evidence
for levels of intake of dietary constituents
necessary to reduce disease risk. For example,
data
collection,
epidemiologic
particularly
studies
that
for
rely
large
on
food
frequency questionnaires (FFQs), does not
include specific data related to herb, spice,
condiment, and/or flavoring intake, despite the
fact
that
several
physiologically
active
components have been identified in these foods.
Recently, FFQs focused on collecting data for
select foods such as teas and citrus
(28)
have
been developed and validated and, thus, will
allow for expanded efforts to measure exposure
and its relationship to disease prevention.
However, a second limitation is that the USDA
nutrient/phytochemical
60
tools
database
has
only
Functional Food [Wisnu Cahyadi]
recently
been
phytochemicals
isoflavones
(30),
insufficient
expanded
such
as
to
include
carotenoids
(29),
and flavonoids . It still remains
for
most
nonnutritive
Expanding roles for dietetics professionals
include the following :

food
advising consumers on the appropriate
intake of functional foods and how best to
constituents.
achieve dietary intake goals, in the context
of a healthful diet, to optimize health and
Another issue of importance is that dietary
potentially decrease the risk of preventable
constituents appear to act synergistically to
improve
absorption
of
nutrients
physiologically active dietary components
or
diseases;

(22).
One example is lycopene in tomatoes and the
field;

enhancement of its absorption when consumed
along with fat
(23).
healthy population can be altered in the
disease.
Therefore,


a
unique
evaluation and implementation of research
studies that are focused on functional foods and
physiologically
active
education
to
health
care
working
collaboratively
with
food
and
government
to
develop
and
enhance
regulatory standards for functional foods
opportunity to play a vital and central role in the
their
providing
nutrition organizations as well as the
that assume such foods are safe and label
VI. ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
DIETETICS PROPESSIONAL
have
future
prevention;
the specific populations or individual variance.
professionals
of
functional foods in health promotion/disease
available scientific information in the context of
Dietetics
development
and policy officials regarding the role of
advice regarding approximate levels of intake for
to be evaluated on the basis of currently
the
professionals, the public, the food industry,
dietary
functional foods and their components will need
to
functional foods;
presence of a disease such as cancer or
cardiovascular
providing expertise to the food industry
related
The specific intake levels
recommended to reduce the risk of disease in a
participating in research in this evolving
components.
claims are scientifically sound and not
misleading; and

being a resource for the media as the
research evolves and specifically to provide
guidance regarding integration of functional
foods into a balanced and varied diet.
Research findings will need to be translated into
practical
information
knowledgeable
for
dietetic
consumers
by
professionals.
61
Infomatek Volume 5 Nomor 1 Maret 2003 : 57 - 64
VII. SUMMARY
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