Abstract

In recent years, the functional food industry is one of the several areas of food industry which has experienced fast growth. The functional foods can be any food which has an extra function given to it by either adding new ingredients. This means it can have both naturally occurring ingredients that are then boosted or they can have nutrients that are not naturally found in them. These foods are usually made for health-related benefits, where the essential minerals (such as vitamins and minerals) are deficient. In a way, all foods are functional; all foods have certain functions and certain nutritional. Functional foods are not specifically labelled but they include a note about added nutrients on its ingredient statement. Functional goods include conventional food such as grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts; modified food such as yogurt, cereals and orange juice, medical foods with special formulations for certain health conditions, and foods for special dietary use such as infant formula and hypoallergenic foods. There is good evidence, in some cases, that these foods really do aid one’s health; for example, cholesterol-lowering spreads have been proven to be effective in human trials. However, in other cases, they have not proven as effective; for example, there is currently little evidence that foods with added omega-3 fatty acids can help improve brain function in normal individuals. The amount of functional food that must be consumed to provide a health benefit is very important. This is one of the most active areas of research in the nutrition science today and has several reasons i.e. a favorable regulatory environment, the consumer self-care phenomenon, and rapid growth in the market for health and wellness product.