Categories: Food AssetsPosts

Nutraceuticals

Qui n’a jamais entendu parler “d’alicament” ? Ce terme est une contraction du mot “aliment” et “médicament”. Some functional foods boast that protect us from health problems and others promise to treat us. That really worth these products recently appeared on the agri-food market? They still hold their promises ? Are they dangerous for health or provide the miraculous virtues ?

Examples of functional foods :

Our supermarket shelves are filled with functional foods such as milkshakes with more iron and calcium, eggs and margarine enriched in omega 3, chocolate bars and fruit juices enriched with vitamins, fibre-enriched breakfast cereals, minerals etc.

Some foods are thus enriched in omega 3 (eggs Matins, Crossroads, Sanketh or margarine St Hubert for example) qui pourraient être un “substitut” aux personnes qui ne mangent pas de poissons ou de fruits de mer (Although this intake of omega 3 is lower).

Other foods rich in Probiotics are intended regulate intestinal transit or to balance the intestinal flora (les yaourts au “Bifidus actif” ou les laits “Actimel”, “Activia” et “Yakult” par exemple). The consumption of these products would likely (but this remains a hypothesis) “dérégler” la flore intestinale people who have no intestinal problems, dès lors que ces produits ne seraient plus consommés car le corps s’y serait habitué formant une sorte de “dépendance” aux micro organismes (According to Myriam Faure, MAG - nutrition.com).

Un marché florissant…

With annual growth 2 figures, the nutraceuticals market has become very promising in recent years attracting the giants of
agri-food (Danone, Unilever, Nestlé…) and major pharmaceutical groups. According to a study from ACNielsen in 2004 on the development of agri-food markets, 75% of 24 the most dynamic categories integrate the health component. The nutraceuticals represent in France 3 to 4% market against more of 10% for the United States and the Japan.

Les industriels lancent de grandes campagnes de marketing pour leurs nouveaux produits n’omettant pas de préciser “scientifiquement prouvé”. But European regulation is much stricter than our neighbours. Indeed since 2006 the EFSA (European food safety authority) ensure that the commendations on the labels are based by scientific evidence.

The EFSA receives requests for claim, by the Giants in the food industry, studied and forwards its recommendations to the European Commission, which takes the decision on the communication of the benefits. In the end it is not removing the product from the market (because the product is not necessarily hazardous) but just to prohibit labeling misleading because not scientifically proven.

In 18 month notice 1000 have been made with the 3/4 were negative (According to The Figaro). Ocean Spray for example, was denied the promise of his drink Cranberry that supposedly would diminish the number of urinary tract infections.

On the other hand manufacturers whose products have been validated by the EFSA are of course enjoy (Margarine “Fruit d’Or Proactiv” d’Unilever qui permettrait de “réduire le mauvais cholestérol”).

Du point de vue du consommateur …

Il est vrai que le consommateur peut être surpris et méfiant face aux produits “améliorant” la santé. Thus "the challenge for manufacturers is to exceed this image too marketing to consumers and physicians with real scientific evidence., relativizes Laurent ball-Garabedian, partner at OC&C. Still need that the selling point proved, ce qui n’est pas le cas des Etats Unis et du Japon où des boissons “anti cancer” côtoient les chewing-gums “anti rhume”.

It is necessary to remind that a good rich and varied diet cannot be compensated by the functional. Indeed some people would be led to think that by consuming a product rich in vitamins they could overcome their non fruit e.g.. Obviously the majority of food staples of a healthy diet has all the essential components (vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber etc.) to ensure good health otherwise we would already have all the shortcomings and would be all sick. In addition «Il faut en tout cas cesser de croire qu’un aliment peut soigner une maladie” explains Dr. Michel Roulet, ex-Director of the unit of clinical nutrition of the CHUV.

This effect of mode must make the vigilant consumer to the promises of the products even if there is an established regulatory. Do you really think that a glass of water during a meal can actually you rejuvenate for example ?