The surge for better nutrition started early in 1950’s when researchers started to examine the relationship between nutrition and degenerative diseases such as heart problems linked to fat consumption. Gradually these developments led to healthy eating agenda of nutrition policy especially in Western countries by 1970. With the ongoing research and development in healthy nutrition, a new concept emerged in the food industry namely the concept of functional food products development. A more systematic and comprehensive approach adopted by Japanese Government in 1986 led to the development of FOSHU (Food for special Dietary Use) by 1991, under the Nutrition Improvement Law. Thus working definition of the FOSHU was confined to the following criteria;
- Exert health or physiological effect
- In the form of ordinary food, not pill or capsule.
- Part of normal routine diet.
In recent decades food industry around the globe has observed a marked change in consumer attitude towards food and nutrition. Consumers now demand for more than basic nutritional needs from their food manufacturers. This changing consumer attitude has created a new food market segment termed as “Health and Wellness Market”. This segment incorporates fortified/functional foods, but also including organic foods, “better for you” food and beverages (BFY), “naturally healthy” (NH) foods, products catering to food intolerance, vitamins and dietary supplements, traditional herbal products, slimming products and sports nutrition. Of this market, the functional foods part alone was valued at US$168 billion in a global market that is 2.5 times the size that of vitamins and dietary supplements. The main consumer motive for purchasing functional foods is the growing desire to use foods either to help prevent chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis, or to optimize health, for example by increasing essential minerals and vitamins, boosting the immune system, generation of wellbeing.
Working on the above mentioned principles of diet-disease prevention, substantial health promotion can be ensured. However to produce a health oriented food product with approved clinical efficacy requires extensive research and development work. This is a challenging task for Pakistan food manufacturing industry owning to limited know-how and technical skills for developing these innovative health-oriented food products. There is a need to develop a public and private support system for uplifting the manufacturing capabilities and capacities of food manufacturing companies especially SMEs in Pakistan in order to innovate healthy food products yet with higher quality standards. This can have a positive impact on the health of consumers and thus prevent them from getting chronic illnesses.
