Functional Foods

The lecture was given by Professor Dr. Gerhard Rechkemmer, who has a doctorate in Nutrition Science from the Universität Hohenheim. Rechkemmer is the former director of the Institute of Nutrition Physiology at the Federal Research Institute for Nutrition in Karlsruhe. Since 2003 he holds the endowment chair of “Biofunctionality of Foods” at the Weihenstephan Science Center of the Technische Universität München (TUM). He is also the director of the Central Institute of Nutritional and Food Research at TUM. His main research interests are examining the functional effects of food ingredients as well as clarifying the action mechanisms of such substances regarding the development of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Professor Rechkemmer explained that there is not yet a legal framework for functional foods in Germany or anywhere else in Europe. Scientists have proposed the following definition: functional foods have a scientifically approved health-promoting and/or disease-preventing property beyond the basic nutritional function of supplying nutrients. They do not come in the shape of capsules, tablets, powders, or ampoules, but are fresh or processed products which take the same form as conventional foods. Functional foods are meant to be consumed as part of daily nutrition and in normal quantities. Nutrient-enriched products, e.g. with added vitamin C or E, do not count as functional foods if the purpose of adding those vitamins is to reach the recommended daily intake in order to avoid nutrient deficits.
For many functional foods, health claims are raised. The legal acceptance of such health claims as well as the scientific criteria to prove such effects are presently being discussed intensively from a scientific and political viewpoint and on a national and EU-wide level. A proposal by the EU-Commission for the Regulation of Health Claims for Foods is currently under discussion in the European Parliament.
Over the past ten years, there have been new product developments, especially in the field of dairy products, through the use of probiotic micro-organisms and prebiotic carbon hydrates. The probiotic micro-organisms are claimed to have immunemodulatory effects, to improve lactotolerance and reduce the Rotavirus and antibiotics-induced diarrhoea of children and adults. Prebiotic carbon hydrates, e.g. insulin and oligofructoses, are preferred substrates of probiotic micro-organisms and lead to the desired shift of the intestinal flora in the direction of a healthy flora. It is not yet clear how prebiotics can improve the fuctioning of the colon or the disease pattern of chronically inflammatory intestinal diseases or reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. This was also the topic of a Functional Food Study of the Europäische Akademie.
There is currently a very positive development in adding plant sterols and phytostanoles or respectively fatty acid esters of these compounds, to margarines, yoghurts, and milk drinks. A daily intake of approx. 2–3 g of those can reduce the LDL cholesterol concentration of the plasma, one risk marker for the development of atherosclerosis, significantly by 10–15%. These effects were proven in a number of clinical studies.
Many other bioactive food ingredients are currently being researched regarding their health-promoting properties and their aptitude for the production of functional foods (e.g. soy extracts with phyto-oestrogens, catechin extracts from green tea, anthocyanins extracts from red grapes, lycopin from tomatoes, or long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from seafish).
In summary it can be said that the development of functional foods can potentially lead to health-promoting and disease-preventing effects. However, the legal framework has yet to be created and scientific criteria for the approval of health claims must be defined. Functional foods will not, however, make up for an unhealthy life style (insufficient exercise, excessive extra weight, smoking, etc.). Besides the health-related and legal implications, the Europäische Akademie’s Functional Food Project also comprised discussions and concrete recommendations for policy and decision-makers regarding ethical, sociological, and economic aspects of functional foods.