Functional foods feed growing appetite for faster fodder

EATING: Food scientists are having a growing impact on what we eat, with added ingredients designed to enhance nutritional value playing an increasing role in new products

"Eating seems to be a science these days," according to Heinz, makers of baked beans and tomato ketchup. "Everywhere you turn there are confusing stories in the news or yet another piece of advice about what you should and shouldn't eat."

To help clear up the confusion and market their products, most major food producers employ in- house nutritionists or work closely with the organisations responsible for promoting healthy eating in order to gain recognition for any health benefits associated with consuming their products.

Last month, the British Dietetic Association (BDA), the national association for qualified dietitians in the UK, announced that baked beans and tinned soup could now count towards a person's recommended daily intake of five portions of fruit and vegetables. The association was paid by Heinz for its consultation exercise and has said it is keen to help other food companies assess their products.

As a result of the BDA's endorsement, Heinz is now marketing it as "official" that over 70 of its canned goods can count towards the recommended intake, despite other nutritionists pointing to the higher salt, sugar and fat content of canned goods.

The labels on 400g cans of Heinz baked beans and spaghetti in tomato sauce say "five a day - the healthy way" and remind consumers that there is one fruit and vegetable portion per half-can, with two portions in half a 400g can of its cream of tomato soup.

But on a less clear note for consumers, a bottle of Heinz tomato ketchup will also indicate on the label that it is a source of lycopene. On its own, this may not mean very much to most people squirting the sauce onto their plate, as research into the health benefits of this nutrient took place relatively recently.

"Labels in this country are very minimalistic," notes Mr Joe Bogue of the Food Business and Development department at University College Cork, who has researched consumer attitudes to health-enhancing foods. "You can't link certain things if they're not proven scientifically, but lycopene is one that has been substantiated," he says.

Lycopene is an antioxidant found in tomatoes and tomato sauces that is said to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease. While this information is not yet referred to on its packaging, the Heinz website has a page devoted to its potential health benefits.

Although cooking lowers the content of other important nutrients like vitamin C, Heinz point out that food scientists have discovered that lycopene is more effective when tomatoes are cooked or processed into foods such as ketchup, pasta sauce and soup.

In recent years, the buzzwords in the food industry have been "functional foods" or "nutraceuticals" - food with added ingredients designed to enhance its nutritional value and make a positive health impact. Lycopene is just one of the latest ingredients to excite food producers.

Popular examples already on the market include spreads like Flora pro.activ or Benecol, which are said to lower cholesterol levels. Others include certain cereals or nutrition bars as well as energy drinks like Actimel or Yakult, from Japan, where the trend to use functional foods as part of everyday diet first took off.

In the US, the market for the sector is estimated to be worth more than $20 billion (€22 billion). It is on the other side of the Atlantic that Irish dairy company Glanbia has developed its nutraceutical business, but demand for its milk and whey proteins is expected to follow the same pattern in Europe.

"Consumers are looking for a greater return, over and above the nutritional content available in food today," says Mr Michael Patten, director of communications for Glanbia.

"We have embarked on a strategy to provide products with superior nutritional benefits for what we believe will be the mega trend of the next decade," he says. In January, Glanbia launched a yoghurt drink called "Everybody", which contains a probiotic ingredient called Lactobacillus (LGG), as well as added vitamins and minerals.

"There is a definite consumer need," says Mr Patten. "Since the launch, everybody has actually exceeded expectations . . . It just moved off the shelf."

When advertising does begin it will target women, but as buyers rather than as the sole consumers.

Like its name suggests, the drink is not intended just as an energy drink for athletes or a pick-up for the run down - it is for everybody. But not quite everybody is welcoming or even noticing the new generation of functional foods on the supermarket shelves. Some nutritionists believe proposals to introduce EU-wide regulations in the sector will allow companies to add vitamins and minerals to otherwise unhealthy foods and then advertise them as nutritious.

European consumers are also considered to be more sceptical about the health benefits of particular foods. "Consumers are not really clear about the health claims on the products, the Actimels and the Yakults," says Mr Joe Bogue at UCC.

"What consumers are saying to us is 'I eat in moderation, so I don't need these types of foods'. Maybe with stronger health messages from the health boards they will take off, but at the moment we're not inclined to believe the health claims on labels in this country," he says.

But for eagle-eyed, health-conscious consumers, it seems it is no longer simply a question of buying large quantities of fresh fruit and vegetables or even picking up products with the words "low fat" emblazoned across the packaging.

"Lifestyles are faster, more food is consumed on the go," concludes Mr Patten at Glanbia.

"Earlier, consumers used low-fat products, now it's vitamin-enrichment and mineral supplements. In the future, it will be about developing specific products for specific needs rather than just general wellbeing."