FOOD CONSUMPTION AND INNOVATION: FUNCTIONAL FOODS

Increasing numbers of scientific evidences demonstrate the health-promoting properties of some foods and food components beyond the basic nutrients. The connection between health, longevity and diet is increasingly clear to consumers since they choose food products according to new food models resulting from the profound changes in the society lifestyles of the last decades. In general, the possibility to prevent those diseases that have spread in countries with economic well-being, only modifying eating habits is of particular interest, and, in this contest, functional foods play undoubtedly an outstanding role in the development of a dynamic and sustainable market in the food field. Processing industries should choose indeed whether to maintain product lines responding to the logic of competition only or to point to a new development prospective represented by the connection between scientific research and demand for wellness. This work offers a brief review on the current worldwide legislative situation, market development and the future potential of functional foods, focusing on the Italian market condition.