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understanding the science of how the human gut functions and the role that diet plays in human health will be explored at a major international functional foods conference in cork, this week. foods have an enormous role to play in keeping people healthy and many foods have properties that can enhance the health of those that consume them. a ‘functional food’ is one that serves a purpose beyond basic nutrition, promoting health or reducing the risk of certain diseases.

soybean lecithin coated with a biopolymer may provide an encapsulation technique for a range of ingredients, according to a study from an international team of researchers. ellagic acid, a polyphenol with antioxidant activity, was used as a test substance and encapsulated in a liposome made from soybean lecithin, which was subsequently coated in a biopolymer composed of chitosan and dextran sulphate, researchers report in the journal of functional food.

the latest in a long line of functional or ’super’ foods, coloured chickpeas have recently been found to be more beneficial than the more well known cream and beige chickpeas. coloured chickpeas have significantly higher antioxidant qualities than the regular cream and beige color varieties, according to a new study in the journal of food science, published by the institute of food technologists in chicago.

forming partnerships and tapping external resources can be the winning ticket in the functional foods market, says enterprise ireland, which is sponsoring an event on consumer and regulatory acceptance next month. ireland has been positioning as a force in functional and healthy foods. last year four of ireland’s biggest healthy ingredients companies – carbery, dairygold, glanbia and kerry - joined with academics to form food for health ireland (fhi), a group that will bring together partners up and down the value chain to develop and market ingredients and functional foods.

against the background of growing health consciousness among consumers, the demand for foods that support and enhance health is continuing on an upward trajectory. this is evident from the growing uptake of natural and safe alternatives such as functional foods and beverages and dietary supplements, all of which form an integral part of the nutraceuticals space. consumers are displaying a preference for convenience food with palpable benefits.

hydrogels made from soy protein could protect functional food ingredients through the gut, tapping the ever-growing health and wellness segment. the technology could be used to develop gelled functional foods containing bioactive ingredients like a b vitamin, according to new research published in food hydrocolloids. hydrogels are liquid or semisolid materials composed of long-chain molecules cross-linked to one another to create many small empty spaces that can absorb water or other liquids like a sponge.

global sales of functional drinks continue to rise but the recession has dampened progress, according to a new zenith report. market researchers zenith international said functional drink sales rose 3 per cent in 2008 to 26.5bn litres. this is down on an historic growth rate of 8 per cent a year between 2003 and 2008. fitting normally into the premium price category, functional drinks have come under recessionary pressure.

scientists at the university of granada have identified and characterized for the first time different antioxidant compounds from functional foods such as olive oil, honey, walnuts and a medicinal herb called teucrium polium. the scientists used two new techniques—capillary electrophoresis and high resolution liquid chromatography—to identify and quantify a great part of the phenolic compounds contained in these foods.

sunopta ingredients group is expanding its range of functional fibers to include organic and conventional pea fiber. the new product, sunopta pea fiber, is non-allergenic, non-gmo, and gluten-free and contains up to 90% dietary fiber, said the company. it will be produced by best cooking pulses of portage la prairie, manitoba, canada, with which sunopta has forged a distribution agreement.