ENGLISH IN FOOD TECHNOLOGY I

UNIT 9
FUNCTIONAL FOOD - BEVERAGE PRODUCTS
REDEFINE NEW AGE
Activity 1
Anticipation
1. How is functional food defined?
2. Can you think of some examples of functional drinks?
3. Why are such drinks so popular?
The concept of functional food was born in Japan. In the 1980s, health authorities in Japan
recognized the concept of food that should promote health and reduce the risk of diseases.
Functional foods have not as yet been defined by legislation in Europe. Generally, they are
considered as those foods which are intended to be consumed as part of the normal diet and
that contain biologically active components which offer the potential of enhanced health or
reduced risk of disease. Examples of functional foods include foods that contain specific
minerals, vitamins, fatty acids or dietary fibre, foods with added biologically active
substances such as phytochemicals or other antioxidants and probiotics.
Figure 5 Smart drinks
www.4.bp.blogspot.com/.../s400/smartdrinks.jpg (2010-04-08)
Functional is the new frontier for food and beverage companies looking to grab the
attention and dollars of many consumers. Beverages are on cutting edge of functional foods.
Many of the New Age beverages, called energy drinks, include “natural” vitamins and
minerals, amino acids, herb extracts, and other ingredients that allegedly stimulate energy,
alertness or psychoactive effects. Most energy drinks fall into the functional foods – or
nutraceuticals – classification. They got their start in the U.S. through health food stores but
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