Nutraceutical, a portmanteau of the words “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical”,
was coined in 1989 by Stephen L. DeFelice, founder and chairman of the
Foundation of Innovation Medicine. The term is applied to products that range
from isolated nutrients, dietary supplements and herbal products,
specific diets and processed foods such as cereals, soups, and beverages.
Regulation Nutraceuticals are treated differently
in different jurisdictions. = Canada =
Under Canadian law, a nutraceutical can either be marketed as a food or as a
drug; the terms "nutraceutical" and "functional food" have no legal
distinction, referring to "a product isolated or purified from foods that is
generally sold in medicinal forms not usually associated with food [and] is
demonstrated to have a physiological benefit or provide protection against
chronic disease." = United States =
The term "nutraceutical" has no meaning in US law. Depending on its ingredients
and the claims with which it is marketed, a product is regulated as a
drug, dietary supplement, food ingredient, or food.
= International sources = In the global market, there are
significant product quality issues. Nutraceuticals from the international
market may claim to use organic or exotic ingredients, yet the lack of
regulation may compromise the safety and effectiveness of products. Companies
looking to create a wide profit margin may create unregulated products overseas
with low-quality or ineffective ingredients.
Market A market research report produced in
2012 projected that the worldwide nutraceuticals market would reach US$250
billion by 2018, defining that market as "Dietary Supplements, and Functional
Foods & Beverages" Classification of nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals are products derived from food sources that are purported to
provide extra health benefits, in addition to the basic nutritional value
found in foods. Depending on the jurisdiction, products may claim to
prevent chronic diseases, improve health, delay the aging process,
increase life expectancy, or support the structure or function of the body.
= Dietary supplements = A dietary supplement is a product that
contains nutrients derived from food products that are concentrated in liquid
or capsule form. In the US, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of
1994 defined the term: “A dietary supplement is a product taken by mouth
that contains a "dietary ingredient" intended to supplement the diet. The
"dietary ingredients" in these products may include: vitamins, minerals, herbs
or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, organ
tissues, glandulars, and metabolites. Dietary supplements can also be extracts
or concentrates, and may be found in many forms such as tablets, capsules,
softgels, gelcaps, liquids, or powders.” Dietary supplements do not have to be
approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before marketing, but
companies must register their manufacturing facilities with the FDA.
With a few well-defined exceptions, dietary supplements may only be marketed
to support the structure or function of the body, and may not claim to treat a
disease or condition, and must include a label that says: “These statements have
not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not
intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
= Functional foods = Functional foods are designed to allow
consumers to eat enriched foods close to their natural state, rather than by
taking dietary supplements manufactured in liquid or capsule form. Functional
foods have been either enriched or fortified, a process called
nutrification. This practice restores the nutrient content in a food back to
similar levels from before the food was processed. Sometimes, additional
complementary nutrients are added, such as vitamin D to milk.
Health Canada defines functional foods as “ordinary food that has components or
ingredients added to give it a specific medical or physiological benefit, other
than a purely nutritional effect.” In Japan, all functional foods must meet
three established requirements: foods should be present in their
naturally-occurring form, rather than a capsule, tablet, or powder; consumed in
the diet as often as daily; and should regulate a biological process in hopes
of preventing or controlling disease. History
The Indians, Egyptians, Chinese, and Sumerians are just a few civilizations
that have used food as medicine. Hippocrates, considered by some to be
the father of Western medicine, said that people should “Let food be thy
medicine.” The modern nutraceutical market began to
develop in Japan during the 1980s. In contrast to the natural herbs and spices
used as folk medicine for centuries throughout Asia, the nutraceutical
industry has grown alongside the expansion and exploration of modern
technology. See also
Dietary supplement Food additive
Food fortification Food processing
Health claims on food labels Medicinal mushrooms
Nutrients Nutrification.
References Further reading
Books Pathak, Y.V.. Handbook of
Nutraceuticals(vol. 1): Ingredients, Formulations, and Applications. CRC
Press. ISBN 978-1-4200-8221-0 Shahidi, F. / Naczk, M.. Phenolics in
Food and Nutraceuticals. CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-58716-138-4
Shahidi, F. / Weerasinghe, D.K.. Nutraceutical Beverages: Chemistry,
Nutrition, and Health Effects. American Chemical Society. ISBN 978-0-8412-3823-7
Review articles on possible health benefits
Aggarwal, B.B. et al. “Molecular Targets of Nutraceuticals Derived from Dietary
Spices: Potential Role in Suppression of Inflammation and Tumorigenesis”,
Experimental Biology and Medicine,234(8):825-849.
Gupta, S.C. et al. ” Regulation of survival, proliferation, invasion,
angiogenesis, and metastasis of tumor cells through modulation of inflammatory
pathways by nutraceuticals“, Cancer Metastasis Reviews,29(3):405-434.
Kannappan, R. et al. “Neuroprotection by Spice-Derived Nutraceuticals: You Are
What You Eat!”, Molecular Neurobiology,44(2):142-159.
External links Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada,
Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, 2007
US FDA/CFSAN - Dietary Supplements