Special dietary needs

In either coeliac disease or gluten intolerance there is a need for products that do not contain gluten. In the case of special dietary needs the ordinary food laws are set aside. This is of course an entirely logical position to take. 

People with special dietary needs should have an adequate emergency food supply. 

The olfactory system may not be designed to supply the brain with a neutral representation of all odors in the environment. Mechanisms of sensory representations have evolved under constant pressure to capture what is relevant. Genetic pathways that shape its physiology are likely to reflect both conserved and highly specialized elements. An exaggerated focus on the adaptation of olfactory acuity to dietary needs would be counterproductive. Just as the fly s visual system does not represent an elaborate apple detector, its olfactory system... 

Unlike the aforementioned committees, the ACBS is not established under the remit of the Medicines Act. Some foods and toilet preparations may be regarded as necessary in the treatment of specified conditions, for example, special dietary foods in conditions where clinical needs prevail such as malabsorption states, or sunscreens in UV photosensitive dermatoses. The ACBS recommends as to the circumstances under which such products may be regarded as medicines and prescribed for patients on the NHS. This therefore represents a borderline between food, cosmetics, and medicines. Companies may make application to the ACBS for listing of a product, supported by appropriate justification of clinical need and... 

Kdferstein Perhaps we should address ourselves to.the possible need to define maximum levels of certain metals in infant food and junior food for regulatory purposes. You know there is the work which on the international level is done by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The chairman of the Codex Committee on Foods for Special Dietary Uses (Dr. Drews) has joined us and I think we could seek his help in answering some of the questions. 

Because mannitol and sorbitol are both moderately sweet and relatively inexpensive, they have been considered as special dietary constituents 63). The content of sorbitol in diabetic foods should be counted as available carbohydrate, and the label of foods containing sorbitol should indicate the amount present. Probably owing to the slow intestinal absorption of sorbitol, doses greater than 50 g. are laxative in humans, but smaller doses are well tolerated. Care needs to be exercised in determining more fully the possible harmful effect of ingesting considerable amounts of sugar alcohols, before their general use as food additives is accepted. 

Special Dietary Products. The use of special foods and mineral supplements may be justified when it appears that the diet is deficient in certain essential elements. Ordinary diets may not suffice to meet mineral needs under circumstances such as (1) pregnancy (2) breast feeding of infants (3) illnesses which depress the appetite (4) types of malnutrition that require rapid restoration of the body s supply of certain minerals these conditions require the attention of physicians who are proficient in nutritionai therapy) (5) sharp restrictions in caloric intake in order to achieve rapid reduction in body weight or (6) shortages of wholesome, nutritious foods. 

Some animal studies indicate that dietary exposure to methyl parathion causes decreased humoral and cellular responses (Shtenberg and Dzhunusova 1968 Street and Sharma 1975). A more recent, well-designed animal study that included a battery of immuno/lymphoreticular end points showed few effects at the nonneurotoxic doses tested (Crittenden et al. 1998). No adequate studies are available in humans to assess the immunotoxic potential of methyl parathion. Therefore, studies measuring specific immunologic parameters in occupationally exposed populations are needed to provide useful information. Further studies are also needed to investigate the mechanism for methyl parathion-induced immunotoxicity since this information would help to identify special populations at risk for such effects. 

Reference Intakes (DRIs). In the past, the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs), which are the levels of intake of essential nutrients that are considered to be adequate to meet the known nutritional needs of practically all healthy persons, were the primary reference value for vitamins and other nutrients. The DRIs also include other reference values, such as the estimated average requirement (EAR) and the adequate intake (AI). The RDA, EAR, and AI reference standards define nutritional intake adequacy. Since these recommendations are given for healthy populations in general and not for individuals, special problems, such as premature birth, inherited metabolic disorders, infections, chronic disease, and use of medications, are not covered by the requirements. Separate RDAs have been developed for pregnant and lactating women. Vitamin supplementation may be required by patients with special conditions and for those who do not consume an appropriate diet. 

A functional food is one that offers a benefit over and above its nutritional value. Our body needs an intake of six essential dietary components in order to sustain life and regenerate cells they are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Many meals provide most or all of them. A functional food has to offer something extra and not just more of one of these essential components, and it must actively promote the health of those who consume it. Merely fortifying a food with calcium or vitamin C does not turn it into a functional food. Most breakfast cereals have added iron, and adding more iron in the form of iron powder to make Kellogg s Special K does not make this a functional breakfast cereal. 

Linoleic acid (18 3 -6 and a-linolenic acid (18 3n-3) are metabolically essential fatty acids, but linoleic acid is the only essential fatty acid for which a dietary requirement has been established. Characteristic EFA deficiency symptoms observed in poultry include an increased need for water and decreased resistance to disease. A dietary requirement for linoleic acid has been set at 1% of diet dry matter. No major special considerations are mentioned for turkeys, ducks, ringnecked pheasants, Japanese quail, and bobwhite quail (16). 

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