Functional foods. Part 1: the development of a regulatory concept

As a number of functional foods have been already introduced into the international market, their claims of health benefits may challenge the traditional border between food and medicine. As a result the position of functional foods within existing categories in the regulatory system is vague. The regulatory concept of functional foods on the basis of Japanese and international concepts has been examined in view of the approaches in other countries. From the examination, it is generally agreed that functional foods should provide health benefits over and above their normal nutritional values within daily dietary patterns. In order to clarify the scope of functional foods their relationship with food and drugs is also examined.