The term nutraceuticals was coined from “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical” by Stephen Defelice in 1989. Simple meaning of nutraceuticals is hybrid of Nutritive + Pharmaceuticals: A food stuff which gives health benefits.
“Nutraceutical” is well-known as a fortified food or dietary supplement that offers health edges in conjunction with its basic nutritional value. Any harmless food element which supplies scientifically established health benefits with treatment and prevention. It may be a naturally nutrient-rich food or a specific component of a food. They are naturally derived bioactive compounds that are found in foods, dietary supplements and herbal products, and have health promoting, disease preventing and medicinal properties.
Dietary supplements, nutritional supplements and medical foods these are some alternative expressions for nutraceuticals. They are derived from foods which are used in different pharmaceutical form like pills, capsules or liquids and again provide condensed physiological benefits.
Nutraceuticals basically range from dietary supplements, herbal products, genetically engineered “designer” foods, isolated nutrients. They are nourishing food or food component with medicinal values.
Leading focus of such products is to improve or maintain health and used to improve general health. The medicinal plants are important fields of traditional medicine all over the world because they contain phytochemicals which have been used in ancient systems of medicines like Ayurveda, Homeopathic, Siddha, and Unani. They have great interest because of safety, therapeutic effects and potential nutritional purpose.
Nutraceuticals is also a product isolated or purified from the food, generally sold in medicinal form not associated with food. They are the substances which are not traditionally recognised nutrients but which have positive physiological effects on the human body.
Nutraceuticals have one important advantage i.e., it does not produce any side-effects. The nutraceutical revolution will lead us into a new era of medicine and health, in which the food industry will become research-oriented to the pharmaceutical industry.
Nutritional therapy is a healing system using dietary therapeutics or nutraceuticals as a complementary therapy. This therapy is based on the belief that foods can not only be sources of nutrients and energy but could also provide medicinal benefits. A nutraceutical can be defined as a medicine for two reasons:
1) It can be used for the prevention, treatment or cure of a condition or disease.
2) It can be administered with a view to restoring, correcting or modifying physiological functions in human beings.
Nutrients: Substances with established nutritional functions, such as carbohydrate, proteins, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids.
Pharmaceuticals (drugs): The FD&C Act defines drugs as "articles intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease and articles (other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or other animals."
Nutritional genomics is a recent off-shoot of this genetic revolution in the area of nutraceutical development which includes:
1. Nutrigenomics
2. Nutrigenetics
Role of Herbs
Over the past three decades, the use of herbal medicinal products increased to a very good extent. Herbal remedies include plant portions as well as the plant extract with several ingredients which work together. There are plenty of herbs which have been used by different traditional systems of various countries for the nourishment and support for our body. Some examples of herbs, which are used as food and also as medicines in conditions like infection, for promoting immune system or other ailments.
In Ayurveda, Triphala is one of the most admired tonics. It is composed of three herbs such as, Terminalia bellerica (Combretaceae), Terminalia chebula (Combretaceae), and Emblica officinalis (Phyllanthaceae). It is advantageous for skin, liver, eyes, digestive system and almost all of body organs or systems. The therapeutic motives of Triphala are immunomodulation, antibacterial, ant mutagenic and adaptogenic. Gastro protective and antioxidants activities of Paederia foetida (Rubiaceae) identified by a research study. The turmeric powder has preventive action and effective against various types of bacteria, fungus viruses as well as parasites.
Garlic, onion, ginger have healing properties. Salicin present in the willow bark (Salix nigra) shows anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, astringent, anti-arrhythmic response. Menthol which is a bioactive constituent present in Peppermint (Mentha piperita) cures cold and flu. Tannins present in lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) helps to relieve stress and blood pressure and usable for lung disorders such as asthma.
Health Benefits
-Nutraceuticals have been used to:
Avoid the side-effect.
May increase the health beneficial effect.
May have naturally dietary supplement, so do not have unpleasant side-effect.
May increase the health value, our diet and improve medical condition of human.
May easily be available and economically affordable.
Increase the health value of our diet.
Help us live longer.
Help us to avoid particular medical conditions.
Give a psychological benefit from doing something for one self.
Show action on immune system, respiratory system and digestive system.
Provide the right amount of nutrition for our body.
Prevent the signs of ageing as well as chronic diseases.
Protect your body against chronic diseases.
Increase life expectancy and improve Immunity.
Reduce the effects of stress and improve mental clarity as well as to relieve anxiety.
Enhance sleep quality and quantity.
Provide sense of well-being.
Nutraceuticals have no known side-effect.
Functional food: They are consumed as a part of normal diet and are intended to supplement the normal diet. Functional foods are similar to conventional food or beverage and are consumed as part of a normal diet having physiological benefits. They can also promote growth and developmental processes. They may be used as conventional or fortified foods with bioactive components to reduce disease risk.
Classification of Nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals can be classified on the basis of their natural sources, pharmacological conditions, or as per chemical constitution of the products. The chemical characteristics can be used for grouping nutraceuticals based upon their chemical nature.
1. Natural source, further classified as the products obtained from plants, animals, minerals, microbial sources.
2. Nutraceuticals as per the chemical groupings.
Category of Nutraceuticals
Food products used as nutraceuticals are categorised as:
•Substances with established nutritional functions, such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids– Nutrients.
• Herbs or botanical products as concentrates or extracts–Herbals.
The food sources used as nutraceuticals are all natural and can be categorised as:
1. Dietary Fibre.
2. Probiotics.
3. Prebiotic.
4. Polyunsaturated fatty acids.
5. Antioxidant vitamins.
6. Polyphenols.
7. Spices.
Global Nutra Demand
The nutraceuticals industry depends upon three main segments which include functional foods, dietary supplements, and herbal/natural products. The global nutraceuticals market should reach $285.0 billion by 2021 from $198.7 billion in 2016 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5%, from 2016 to 2021. The functional beverages market should reach $105.5 billion by 2021 from $71.5 billion in 2016 at a CAGR of 8.1%, from 2016 to 2021. The functional food market should reach $92.3 billion by 2021 from $64.6 billion in 2016 at a CAGR of 7.4%, from 2016 to 2021. By 2020, the world will have 1 billion population of 60+ ages. While in the initial years, between 1999 & 2002 industry grew at 7% per annum, the next few years up to 2010 saw double that growth at 14% per annum. Currently around $12-15 bn is being added every year.
Nutraceuticals demand will grow with increasing risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and cholesterol is expected to boost product demand over the forecast period. High cost associated with healthcare treatments has resulted in rising consumer interest in nutraceuticals over the past few years. The growing demand for nutraceuticals has also helped give rise to ventures such as HealthKart, Patanjali, apart from creating room for further consolidation by global brands such as Cargill, Nestle, and Amway in the Indian market.
According to a recent report, the total market for nutraceuticals in India is growing at 21 per cent per annum. It is currently valued at Rs 44bn (€621 m), but could be worth more than Rs 95bn in four years.
Regulations
In 2006, the Indian government passed the Food Safety and Standards Act to integrate and streamline the many regulations covering nutraceuticals, foods, and dietary supplements. Nutraceuticals are known as “Foods for special dietary uses” in India. Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), defines “foods for special dietary uses or functional foods or nutraceuticals or health supplements. The Act calls for the creation of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). FSSAI has been created for laying down science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
Various Central Acts like Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, Fruit Products Order, 1955, Meat Food Products Order, 1973, Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1947, Edible Oils Packaging (Regulation) Order 1988, Solvent Extracted Oil, De-Oiled Meal and Edible Flour (Control) Order, 1967, Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992 etc. have been repealed after commencement of FSS Act, 2006.
Regulatory Requirements in India
Product Evaluation
Licences
Health and label claims
Nutraceuticals is an emerging business and the growth of the business in the forthcoming years is huge. In India, the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and Food Safety and Standards Regulations 2011, are implemented to avoid the grouping of nutraceuticals product either into food or drug. Nutraceuticals in India are called by the name “Functional foods for special dietary uses.”
The nutraceuticals industry is growing at a rate far exceeding expansion in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In coming years, the most successful nutraceuticals players are likely to be those companies in which functional product are just a part of a broad line of goods satisfying both conventional and health value point. Future demand for nutraceuticals depends on consumer perception of the relationship between diet and disease.