Functional foods. Part 2: the impact on current regulatory terminology

In order to introduce the category of functional foods into the present regulatory system, it is necessary to review the relationships between functional foods and other existing legal or commercial terms, with the internationally agreed definitions. Functional foods may be distinguishable from medical foods and dietary supplements, whereas they overlap foods for special dietary uses and fortified foods. They are also regarded as nutraceuticals and health foods, and novel foods in a certain case. These complex relationships can be one of the reasons why functional foods should be controlled on the basis of horizontal approaches such as health claims. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.