Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals

"Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food." − Hippocrates, 400 BC

Nutraceuticals and functional foods are food components that provide demonstrated physiological benefits or reduce the risk of chronic disease, above and beyond their basic nutritional functions. A functional food is similar to a conventional food, while a nutraceutical is isolated from a food and sold in dosage form, in both cases the active components occur naturally in the food.

In recent years, the agri-food sector and consumers have begun to look at food not only for basic nutrition, but for health benefits. The market for nutraceuticals and functional foods (which is large, global and growing), is being driven by a growing consumer understanding of diet/disease links, aging populations, rising health care costs, and advances in food technology and nutrition. Governments, the agri-food sector and the research community are enthusiastic about the potential for nutraceuticals and functional foods to improve citizens' health, help growers diversify, and contribute to increased sales of high-value products to niche markets.

Cholesterol reduction, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis are the most attractive targets for nutraceuticals, followed by child development, high blood pressure, diabetes, GI disorders, menopause and lactose intolerance.

Research should be focussed in areas where Canada has an advantage in the world marketplace, and should have a sustainable impact on farm receipts through diversification of crop options, introduction of new crops with higher returns to farmers, or creation of opportunities to participate in processing beyond the farm gate; generate business activity beyond the farm gate; and have a measurable impact on the health and quality of life of Canadians.

This site contains information and links to research centres, other government departments, industry associations and institutes, and a searchable database of over 100 Canadian companies and research centres involved in functional food and nutraceutical activities.

Contacts:
Angela Ierullo or Francine Villeneuve
597 - 930 Carling Avenue
Ottawa, ON K1A 0C5

Date Modified: 2006-03-17		Important Notices
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