Functional foods and Nutraceuticals

Functional foods are experiencing a fast growth in recent years. They are foods that have a positive effect on health beyond basic nutrition which endorse optimal health and helps in reducing the risk of diseases. Foods which are given an additional function by adding some new ingredients or more existing ingredient are called Functional Foods. They can also be consumed as a normal diet.

Functional foods are extracted from plant source as well as from the animal source. Functional characteristics in traditional foods are high. A functional food for health is an important part of an overall healthful lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and physical activity.

They also aids us by providing antioxidant influence, effect on cell differentiation, increased activity of enzymes that detoxify carcinogens, inhibition of N-nitrosamine formation, change of estrogenic metabolism, change of colonic milieu, preservation of integrity of intracellular matrices,  effect on DNA methylation, maintenance of DNA repair, increase in apoptosis of cancer cells and decrease in proliferation. Functional foods offer`s abundant potential to progress health and helps in preventing certain diseases when taken as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

Functional Foods in Disease Prevention

Functional Food from Plant and Animal Source

Extraction of Functional Food Ingredients and Nutraceuticals from Dairy

Measuring Absorption, Metabolism and Tissue Targeting

Assessing the Bioavailability of Nutraceuticals

Processing Techniques, Benefits, Concerns and Challenges

Development and Commercialization