Health claims

Table 1. Food Products With Health Claims...

In the United States, additional ramifications maybe expected from FDA s announcement of final regulations for new food labeling requirements under the directive of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 (2). Among other things, these regulations limit health claims that can be made on food labels. They also require new information on nutrient content, and limit the use of descriptors such as low and free in association with calories, fat levels, and other food product characteristics. 

Since 1999, when the Food and Drug Administration allowed the first health claim for soy-fortified foods in the USA, there has been a large increase in the sales of food products claiming to contain soy isoflavones. At the same time, over-the-counter supplements have become widely available. However, concerns have been raised about the real health benefits of such supplements in the absence of adequate information about bioavailability, pharmacokinetics and safety. To fill this gap, an extensive study on pure isoflavones and commercial soy isoflavone supplements has recently been carried out (Setchell et al, 2001). A selection of 31 commercially available supplements showed a wide variation in isoflavone composition and in the amount provided by one tablet. Furthermore, a lower isoflavone content, with respect to the claimed levels, has been observed in almost 50% of the analysed products. In one case, no isoflavones at all could be detected (Setchell et al, 2001). 

Nowadays food manufacturers, scientists and also consumers are interested in the health effects of foods. Therefore a lot of resources are being devoted to developing new food items with particular health effects for the market. However, in many cases scientific evidence authorising the health claims of such products is lacking. Phloem is one candidate as a functional food because... 

Phosphatidylcholine, commonly known as lecithin, is the most commonly occurring in natnre and consists of two fatty add moieties in each molecule. Phosphati-dylethanolamine, also known as cephahn, consists of an amine gronp that can be methylated to form other compounds. This is also one of the abundant phospholipids of animal, plant, and microbial origin. Phosphatidylserine, which has weakly acidic properties and is found in the brain tissues of mammals, is found in small amounts in microorganisms. Recent health claims indicate that phosphatidylserine can be used as a brain food for early Alzheimer s disease patients and for patients with cognitive dysfunctions. Lysophospholipids consist of only one fatty acid moiety attached either to sn-1 or sn-2 position in each molecule, and some of them are quite soluble in water. Lysophosphatidylchohne, lysophosphatidylserine, and lysophos-phatidylethanolamine are found in animal tissues in trace amounts, and they are mainly hydrolytic products of phospholipids. 

Trumbo, R R. and K. C. Ellwood (2006). Lutein and zeaxanthin intakes and risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts An evaluation using the Food and Drug Administration s evidence-based review system for health claims. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 84(5) 971-974. 

The European Union recently approved the Regulation on nutrition and health claims made on foods (European Parliament 2006). Regarding DF, it establishes that a food... 

A few other cereal-based ingredients go into some biscuits. The most important is oats in the form of oatmeal or oat bran. Health claims are sometimes made regarding oat bran products. Some savoury biscuits have whole or kibbled grains of either wheat barley or oats. Barley does go into biscuits in the form of malt extract. Brewers or distillers spent... 

Over time, formulations have been enhanced to improve tolerance and meet specific patient needs. For example, nutraceuticals or pharmaconutrients are added to modify the disease process or improve clinical outcome however, these health claims are not regulated by the FDA. 

Wansink, B. 2003b. How do front and back package labels influence beliefs about health claims J. Consumer Affairs 37, 305—316. 

This chapter is devoted to a description of the chemistry, applications, and safety of the wide variety of natural and synthetic colorants available today. But another aspect has entered into consideration. Food safety of colorants has usually been considered to be a negative if we ignore the many benefits of making food more attractive in appearance. The recent meteoric rise of the nutraceutical industries has made it possible to claim health benefits for many categories of food including the colorants. Where appropriate, the health claims will be included in this chapter. 

Annatto is well established in the market and its use is increasing in poundage probably due to its superior technological properties. If some of the health claims prove to be true, annatto will enjoy increased interest. Saffron is well established in the gourmet markets but its use will be restrained because of its high price. 

At present, marketers who make xmsubstantiated health claims are not penalized when the FDA warns them to stop. The FDA should be permitted to generate civil penalties in connection with warning letters. 

Berner, L.A. and O Donell, J.A. (1998). Functional foods and health claims legislations applications to dairy foods, Int. Dairy J., 8, 355-362. 

Food and Drug Administration (1999). Food labeling health claims soy protein and coronary heart disease. Fed. Regist., 64, 57700-57733. 

The DSHEA allows manufacturers to make certain kinds of claims for their products (called structure/function claims ), but not specific health claims. For example, a manufacturer can say that its product "supports the immune system," "promotes healthy joints," or "reduces stress." It cannot say that it "reduces the pain of arthritis," "improves the health of a person with a compromised immune system" (such as HIV infection), or "works as effectively as Prozac . Manufacturers also have to include the following disclaimer on their labels and packages ... 

The benefits of the DSHEA to the manufacturers of natural products is obvious. They can claim a variety of health benefits for their products in very general terms that may sound to consumers like health claims but usually are not. They also can (although they are unlikely to attempt to) sell products that do not contain the chemicals listed on the label, are not safe for human consumption, or are not effective at treating the conditions for which they are recommended. In some ways, this situation sounds similar to the conditions that existed at the beginning of the 20th century, when the FDA was created to deal with the false and misleading claims of patent medicine suppliers. 

On the other hand, some food companies have chosen to pursue the steps necessary to obtain FDA approval for certain specific health claims for their natural food products. For example, the Kellogg company received approval in 1998 to say that the soluble fiber obtained from psyllium seed husks can help reduce coronary heart disease. General Mills received FDA permission a year later... 

Food And Drug Administration (2008). USA. Food Labelling Health Claims Soluble Fiber from Certain Foods and Risk of Coronary Disease. Federal Register 73, No. 85. 

All of the vitamins are used as specific treatments for their respective deficiency diseases. The dosages required will vary depending on the severity of the disease and the vitamin. Vitamins have also been used like drugs to treat diseases. However, unlike drug products, vitamins are not reviewed by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration before formulations appear on the market. Vitamins are considered to be dietary supplements under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). Vitamins and other dietary supplements are not permitted to be marketed as a treatment or cure for a specific disease or condition unless the vitamin is approved as a drug for that purpose. However, under DSHEA, supplement manufacturers may make health claims, such as the link between a food substance and a disease or health-related condition. This may make it difficult for patients to assess the need for vitamin supplementation. 

In 1999, the US FDA allowed health claims (on food labels) on the association between soy protein and reduced risk of coronary heart disease for foods containing >6.25 g of soy protein, assuming either four servings, or that a total of 25 g of soy protein are consumed daily. Furthermore, in 2002, the UK Joint Health Claims Initiative approved a health claim on the association between soy protein and cholesterol reduction, the inclusion of at least 25 g of soy protein per day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and it is important to note that this claim relates to soy protein that has retained its naturally occurring isoflavones. 

We may snicker at these delicacies and the health claims that go with them, but the fact is that food was probably humankind s first medicine. After all, when our primitive ancestors felt sick, what else could they do but manipulate their diets In some cases they hit upon remedies that worked. The Egyptians prescribed extract of pomegranate for intestinal worms and roasted liver of ox for night blindness. Pomegranates actually contain a vermifuge, and the high vitamin A content of liver could have countered visual problems caused by a deficiency of the vitamin. 

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