Summary

This conference explored several aspects of functional foods and components, including their effects on health and aging, their definition, and the use of biomarkers to monitor their clinical response and safety. Current perceptions of functional foods and components held by scientists and consumers in different parts of the world were presented and discussed. It was concluded that debating the definition of functional foods and functional food components was probably not the wisest use of time. If the term functional foods is recognized as an approach to optimizing nutrition rather than as a means to categorize foods as good or bad, its definition becomes less critical. This publication, however, does include a variety of definitions, including those used by scientists and government and regulatory agencies.

The available evidence, and lack of evidence, for classifying a food or component as functional was presented and discussed in a variety of areas, including prebiotics and probiotics, concentrated plant components such as lycopene, soy and related compounds, and plant polyphenols, among others. The availability and use of biomarkers to provide information on response to consumption of functional foods was discussed; it was recognized that much work needs to be done in this area. Finally, government regulations were discussed relative to their role in safeguarding the public and in limiting what can be communicated (and how).

It was concluded that although foods or their components that are to be recommended for health benefits in amounts higher than occur in the normal diet should ideally be exhaustively evaluated for benefits or deleterious effects, consumer demands will surely preclude this from occurring. Therefore, it is imperative that sensitive and reliable biomarkers be developed and used to predict the benefits or risks accompanying efficacious intakes of foods or components under a variety of circumstances.

It is readily apparent that not all individuals respond to the same foods in the same way. This individual variation may be explained by several factors, including the composition of the entire diet and the individual's genetics. Understanding the dynamics of these interactions is a massive undertaking, but it is key to effective intervention strategies aimed at improving quality of life and reducing disease risk. For maximum benefit, it will be critical to identify which individuals will benefit most and who might be placed at risk. Although this conference has begun to shed light on factors that may enhance or detract from the benefits accompanying efficacious intakes of specific foods or their components for the general population, it has also highlighted the work that is still ahead.