Functional foods: growth, evolution, legislation, and future perspectives

In this chapter, we discuss the advancements in functional foods development and their impact globally. The food industry has expanded into multiple fields including dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, food ingredients, cosmetics, and of course functional foods. Functional foods play an important role in economic activities, including the valorization of food industry by-products that otherwise may become waste. The functional foods industry is expected to continue its growth for decades to come. Consequently, proper legislation and protection for the consumer are also warranted. Functional food products targeting inflammation and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and health are particularly popular considering CVD is the world's leading cause of mortality as discussed in this book. In this chapter, we discuss the origin of functional foods and the growth of their consumption ever since. We discuss the increased interest in researching functional foods. We also discuss the wider implications of functional foods development with regard to legislation and monitoring by the FDA and EFSA. In summary, the functional foods market is booming and is expected to continue to grow and evolve over the next decade. Further support for the functional foods industry with adequate monitoring and protection for the consumer will be important to sustain market growth and prevent the scourge of noncommunicable diseases such as CVD.