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Current development of functional foods in China |
X. C. WANG, N. P. Tao, and Y. Ni. Dept. of Food Science, Shanghai Fisheries Univ., 334 Jun-gong Rd., Yang-pu District, Shanghai, 200090, China “Curing and eating have the same origin” and “medicine and food have the similar function” had been ideas in diet life for Chinese early in the ancient time. Food functions tie up Chinese traditional medicine closely. In addition, food cooked with medicinal herbs plays an important role in Chinese traditional food, which mainly gives the rein to the third function of food. Along with the exaltation of living level of people and scientific understanding of functions of food, functional food and natural health food products have been got sustainable development in China since 1980. There are more than 4000 kinds of functional foods permitted by Ministry of Health until November 2002, in which less than 1000 kinds of products were commercialized, and 60 percent of them were focused on three physiological functions of immunological regulation, regulating blood pressure and anti-tiredness. The forms of health food products were primarily composed of oral liquid, capsule, tablet, powder, and the products having active ingredients related to traditional Chinese medicines were in possession of about 90 percent of health foods. Besides, to meet consumers’ desire to lead healthier lifestyles Chinese government has made great efforts to establish some laws, regulations and standards related to functional foods over the last few years, that is, licensing procedures, manufacturing, packaging, labeling and advertising of products are becoming more and more strict and efficient. It is anticipated that a more open Chinese regulatory system would allow domestic and international companies to availably develop products and would initially commercialise them basing on tremendous resource of Chinese traditional medicines in the 21th century.
Session 81, Development of functional food and natural health food products for Asian markets
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