Functional proportions

Using a strict definition of functional foods (foods that made a health claim) the global market would be worth about $25bn by 2010, said LFI business manager, nutrition, Fiona Angus.

Speaking at the Vitafoods International conference, she said that key growth areas were disease risk reduction (heart, gut, bone health); antioxidants; gender and life stage nutrition (anti-ageing); weight management; sustained energy release, and beauty foods.

While attempts to broaden the heart health category beyond cholesterol reduction with the introduction of products to tackle clotting and high blood pressure had had limited success to date (Unilever recently dropped its blood pressure-reducing mini-drinks), they still had big potential, she predicted.

Professor Asim Duttaroy, of the University of Oslo, who spoke after Angus at the conference, added: "Blood cholesterol is not the only predictor of heart disease."

Several fruits, such as tomato and kiwi, had bioactive compounds that inhibited blood platelet aggregation (a risk factor in heart disease and stroke) without any of the side effects of blood thinning drugs such as aspirin, he said.

Moreover, 97% of the population appeared to be responsive to tomato extracts, compared to about 70% for aspirin, he claimed.

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