Functional foods Flashcards
why consumer demand for functional foods has increased.
interest in relationship between diet and health has
increased.
■ Interest in health due to:
– Rapid advances in science and technology
– Increased healthcare costs
– Changes in laws governing labeling and product claims
– Aging population
– Increased interest in wellness.
Describe regulations related to food health claims.
1990 Nutrition Labeling and Education Act
– Regulations for use of health claims on foods and dietary supplements.
– Claims made according to regulations and guidelines of FDA and Federal Trade Commission.
– Regulated according to intended use and nature of claims made.
■ Five types of health-re lated statements or claims are allowed on food and dietary supplement labels:
1. Nutrient content claims
2. Structure and function claims
3. Dietary guidance claims
4. Qualified health claims
5. Health claims
Define functional foods and how foods can be made functional.
Functional foods
■ Apart from supplying nutrients they also reduce risk of chronic diseases
Food products can be made functional:
1. Eliminating a component known to cause a deleterious effect– Allergenic protein
2. Increase concentration of component naturally present in food to induce predicted effect. – Fortification with micronutrients
3. Adding component not normally present in foods, for which beneficial effects have been shown.
– Non-nutritional antioxidants, prebiotics
4. Replace component which is usually excessive and replace it with component that has been shown to have beneficial effects
– Modified starches (replace fat)
5. Increase bioavailability or stability of a component known to produce a functional effort or reduce disease–risk.
Describe the bioactive properties of carbohydrates
soluble fibers
Soluble Fibers
– Mix well with water to form highly hydrated masses that are almost completely fermented by microorganisms in the colon.
■ Pectin (most abundant source-citrus fruits)
– Improved plasma glucose, cholesterol, and total lipid profiles.
■ Guar Gum (extracted from seeds of leguminous herb)– Hypocholesterolemic effects, upregulates hepatic LDL receptor,
which enhances the ability of the liver to remove cholesterol from circulation.
– Increased gastric emptying time and enhances satiety.
■ Barley and Oat β-Glucan
– Decreases plasma cholesterol and glucose levels.
insoluble fibers
Insoluble Fiber (Hemicellulose and cellulose)
– Reduced interactions with water and do not form highly hydrated
masses.
– Undigested in upper GI and fermented by colonic microorganism to form SCFAs:
■ Serves as sources of energy.
■ Modulate secretion of satiety-inducing hormones, inflammatory
responses, and cell proliferation/differentiation.
■ Inhibits free fatty acids in blood.
– Blood glucose management in diabetic conditions.
– Stimulates postprandial release of insulin.
– Reduction in appetite.
Carbohydrates- Prebiotics
Prebiotics-Inulin
– Found in wheat, onion, garlic, bananas, fruits and vegetables.
– Industry utilizes chicory roots.
– Gelling ability-can be used as a fat replacer and bland neutral taste.
■ Prebiotics-Oligofructose
– Obtained through enzymatic hydrolysis of inulin.
– Shorter chain length and higher content of fructose.
■ More soluble and moderately sweet.
Inulin and oligofructose
– Delays gastric emptying.
– Reduced plasma glucose and postprandial plasma glucose.
– Modifies fecal flora.
■ Bifidobacteria become dominant and reduces harmful
bacteria populations.
– Increases colonic biomass, stool weight and frequency.
– Fermentation converts inulin and oligofructose into short-chain
fatty acids and lowers pH.
■ Enhances iron and calcium absorption.
– Improved gut health and stimulation of immune defense.
– May have an effect on memory and mood (Nutrients 2015;7)
Describe the bioactive properties of proteins
Short-chain protein molecules (usually <20 amino acid residues) that
when ingested can provide physiological benefits such as reduction in
the risk of cardiovascular diseases, negative modulation of tumor
growth, and reduction in blood sugar le vel
Describe the bioactive properties of lipids
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids
■ Decrease in circulating LDL when replacing saturated fat
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA)
– Epidemiological studies show lower incidence of CHD.
– Better cholesterol lowering effects when compared to saturated
fatty acids.
– Antihypertensive agents and reduce risk for adverse
cardiovascular events.
High levels of fish consumption
■ Improved immune response and decreased le vels of pro-
inflammatory compounds
Describe the bioactive properties of polyphenols
ability to act as antioxidants and free
radical scavengers.
■ Anticancer agents
– Removing carcinogenic agents
– Enhance antioxidant enzyme levels.
■ Cardiovascular diseases
– Improve blood circulation by decreasing plasma cholesterol and free FAs.
reseveratol found in wine and grape juice
phytosterols compound in plants similar structure to cholesterol
Identify the role of fruits & vegetables in health promotion
Antioxidant properties through prevention of oxidative damage to blood lipids and DNA.
– Can reduce formation of carcinogens.
– Epidemiological studies show inverse relationship with CVD.
– May protect lipid oxidation, reduce LDL oxidation and enhance blood
pressure reduction.
Identify the role of fish in health promotion
■ Main bioactive component responsible for cardiovascular health omega-3 PUFAs.
– Significantly reduced the risk of cardiovascular deaths, sudden cardiac death,
all-cause mortality, and nonfatal cardiovascular events.
■ High levels of EPA and DHA from fish consumption can lead to increased
incorporation into immune cells and displace omega-6 PUFAs and reduce
inflammation.
■ My have some positive effects on cognition performance
Identify the role of milk in health promotion
—>High level of sulfur containing amino acids (cysteine)
■ Potential anticarcinogenic agent
—>Lactoferrin
– Iron-binding protein, regulates iron homeostasis and protects
white blood cells against free iron-catalyzed oxidation reactions.
– Antibacterial and antiviral activity.
– Stimulates production of anti-inflammatory agents.
—>Probiotic bacteria ferment fiber to produce SCFAs
■ Increase blood flow to colon and act as metabolic fuel f or intestinal cells.
■ Lower colon pH, unfa vorable environment for harmful bacteria.
■ Lower pH facilitates absorption of calcium and magnesium
Identify the role of plant nuts in health promotion
■ The health benefits of nut consumption are associated with lipid cont ent: very low saturated FAs (<16%) but high cont ents (up to 50%) of unsaturated FAs.
■ High fiber and protein contents.
■ Good sources of antioxidants (tocopherols and phytosterols), and micronutrients,
especially folate.
– Phytosterols can reduce incidence of cholesterolemia and prevent cardiovascular events.
