Abstract

VALENZUELA B, Alfonso; VALENZUELA, Rodrigo; SANHUEZA, Julio  and  MORALES I, Gladys. Functional foods, nutraceuticals and foshu: are we going to a novel food concept?. Rev. chil. nutr. [online]. 2014, vol.41, n.2, pp.198-204. ISSN 0717-7518.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-75182014000200011.

The increase of economic development and life expectancy of humans has aroused concerns about the health and nutrition in important groups of the population. These modifications have stimulated the development of functional foods (FF), nutraceuticals (NT) and FOSHU (Food with Specific Health Uses) in many countries around the world, mainly in those of greater development. FF are foods to which one or more healthy component has been added without changing its characteristics. The definition of FF is now incorporated into the food normative of many countries. NT is a more complex concept, because it is not referred to a food but to components of a food that can be ingested in amounts greater than those frequently consumed. NT are not pharmaceuticals since they have no therapeutic action although they may have preventive properties. FOSHU is a concept of foods with exclusive medical actions developed in Japan. This review discusses the significance of these new food concepts establishing their origins, potentialities, differences and future projections of these types of foods or food components.

Keywords : Functional foods; nutraceuticals; FOSHU; beneficial foods.

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