ABSTRACT
Functional foods are defined as everyday foods and drinks that may provide identified health enhancing benefits due to their components (2,3). Japan is the birthplace of this concept and is so far the market leader in development and regulation of this emerging industry. The concept of functional foods has been adopted from the nutraceutical concept originated in the United States in the early 1980s after the Kellogg Company and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) made a joint cam-paign on the cancer preventive effects of certain types of fiber, in particular wheat bran fibers. NCI Stated on packages of All Bran, a wheat bran breakfast cereal, that certain types of dietary fiber help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. This campaign stimulated research into foods as an alternative medicine in prevention and the treatment of chronic diseases and the new concept on nutraceuticals was initiated to promote the development of foods of specified health benefits and to stimulate research activities in support of new product development. However, strict regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as well as the unavailability of an official process to implement such efforts have hindered the progress of marketing nutraceuticals in the U.S. However, Japan has modified the concept of nutraceuticals and has created the new concept “functional foods” or “foods for specified use” to improve the
public health. It was possible since they created the third party association which can play a role between the industry and the government. The first functional food, now known as “Yokult” yoghurt, was developed in Japan in the 1930s and is currently consumed by over 23 million people worldwide (4). More such product successes will undoubtedly develop as the industry emerges from its infancy towards an estimated $100 billion worldwide market which translates to almost 5% of total food expenditure (2). Current markets for functional foods are estimated to be approximately 9, 28 and 30 billion dollars in the United States, Japan and European Union respectively.
