32-2 |
Development of functional food science in Japan and angiogenesis |
M. SHIMIZU, Dept. of Applied Biological Chemistry, Univ. of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan A number of food substances potential for disease risk reduction rather than simply for health maintenance have been studied for their body-modulating functions in the past 2 decades. Some of these substances have already been applied to the industrialization of functional foods in terms of “foods for specified health uses (FOSHU)”. More than 300 items of FOSHU are available as of August 2002; These include, foods to (1) improve gastrointestinal conditions, (2) reduce blood cholesterol, glucose or triglyceride level, (3) reduce blood pressure, (4) enhance intestinal mineral absorption, (5) prevent dental caries and (6) improve bone health and strength. Although the majority (60%) is the category (1) food at present, other functional foods targeting life-style related diseases (e.g., hyperlipidemia, dibetes and hypertension) are increasing in recent years. These FOSHU products are becoming popular in Japan and now form the market of several billion dollars. Attemps to develop new types of FOSHU are also in progress. The immune-modulatory food is strongly required because the number of allergic patients is rapidly increasing in Japan. Food factors with immunosuppressive or immunopotentiating activity have therefore been analyzed in many dietary sources. The cancer-preventive food has also been paid increased attention, and a variety of cancer-preventive food factors have been studied. A food factor with anti-angiogenic activity is one example. Anti-angiogenic effects of such food factors as dietary polyphenolic compounds have been studied in detail. Those substances are expected to suppress progression of small cancers with limited side effects. Thus the functional food science in Japan is still progressing from a wide variety of viewpoints. Discovery of functional substances from dietary sources will enhance the production of more FOSHU with novel functions.
Session 32, Angiogenesis and functional foods
|