The term functional foods refers to products containing ingredients that may
provide health benefits beyond the nutritional function. Consumers today are
interested in the information appearing on product labels, and it is important
that the information about food composition and nutritional value is clear,
accurate and meaningful. In 2003, the European Commission proposed a new
regulation on nutrition and health claims made on foods, which will specify
the conditions for the use of nutrition and health claims, and prohibits
certain claims. It should enter into force in 2005.
IRMM participates in a study ‘Current and Future Developments of Functional
Foods in the European Union’ within the network of the
European Science and Technology Observatory (ESTO), and has compiled a
database on standardised analytical methods that could be considered for the
analysis of active compounds in functional foods.
Compilation of Standardised Analytical Methods for the Analysis of Active
Ingredients in Functional Foods (report)[1239Kb]
Annex (extracted from the database) [800Kb]
Melanoidins are a group of substances formed primarily by interactions between
carbohydrates and compounds possessing a free amino group, such as amino acids
or free specific peptides. This reaction, known as the Maillard reaction,
occurs readily during many heat treatments applied to foods and is the cause
of non-enzymatic browning, the latter being attributed to melanoidins. The
strongly reducing properties of melanoidins make them important radical
scavengers, thus behaving as antioxidants. Roasted foodstuffs, such as cocoa
are interesting because they are rich in both natural and generated
antioxidants.
Work at IRMM aims to elucidate which variety of cocoa beans and fractions
thereof have the highest radical scavenging activity. In addition, an
investigation is being carried out as to whether or not the reduction of
acrylamide by new food processing techniques is beneficial in terms of loss of
other compounds, such as melanoidins.