Tag: Supplements

Reports

HEALTH DIET: A summary of the main categories of health foods and scientific evidence of their effectiveness

Published:

01/07/2008

Authors:

Sigrún Mjöll Halldórsdóttir, Guðjón Þorkelsson, Þóra Valsdóttir

Contact

Guðjón Þorkelsson

Strategic Scientist

gudjon.thorkelsson@matis.is

HEALTH DIET: A summary of the main categories of health foods and scientific evidence of their effectiveness

Foods that are considered to be able to improve human health can be classified as health foods such as unchanged organically grown foods, dietary supplements and target foods. In the first part of this dissertation, definitions and regulations are reviewed, the material and function of popular health products and permitted health claims are discussed. According to regulations, food supplements are foods that are intended as a supplement to a regular diet, but targeted foods are often defined as foods that have been modified in order to increase their health effects. The second part of the dissertation deals specifically with proteins in health products with an emphasis on the bioactivity of peptides. Bioactive peptides have a beneficial effect on health beyond normal nutritional value. They can have physiological effects on the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, immune system and nervous system. The effects of peptides in these systems are reviewed. The potential of fish muscle protein in the healthcare product market is being considered. Nowadays, a very large amount of underutilized by-products from seafood, and research has therefore focused a lot on finding ways to utilize and increase their value. The target food market is booming at the moment and is forecast to expand. Seafood has a positive health image among consumers and therefore health products that contain fish muscle protein could have an impact. However, it requires the right taste, texture and bioactivity to be delivered to the consumer, in addition to which the products need to be introduced to the products in a targeted and powerful way.

Food that has the potential of improving health can be categorized as health food eg organic food, dietary supplements and functional food. Definitions, regulations, composition and functionality of popular health food and permitted health statements, are discussed. According to regulation dietary supplements are foods that are intended as an addition to a normal diet, however functional food is commonly referred to as food that has been fortified to enhance its positive effects on health. The latter part of this paper discusses proteins in health foods with emphasis on bioactive peptides. Bioactive peptides have a positive effect beyond their regular nutritional value. They have been shown to have a biological effect in the alimentary canal, the heart and the vascular system, the immune system and the nervous system. The mechanisms involved are reviewed. The potential of fish protein in the functional food market will also be addressed. Today, great quantity of marine by-products are underutilized. Therefore, emphasis has been within the research community on finding methods to utilize and enhance their value. Currently the functional food market is blooming and is expected to grow in the following years. Marine products have a positive health image among consumers, thus health products containing fish proteins could be a great success. To be realized, this requires that the right taste, texture and bioactivity is delivered to the consumer accompanied by a good advertisement campaign.

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Reports

Fish protein as a dietary supplement

Published:

01/05/2008

Authors:

Guðjón Þorkelsson, Margrét Geirsdóttir, Ragnar Jóhannsson, Sigurður Hauksson, Sjöfn Sigurgísladóttir, Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson

Supported by:

AVS

Contact

Guðjón Þorkelsson

Strategic Scientist

gudjon.thorkelsson@matis.is

Fish protein as a dietary supplement

The market for food supplements and health products is growing and such products are now a larger part of people's nutrition than before. Dietary supplements are foods that are intended as a supplement to a regular diet. Proteins in supplements and health products are mainly made from milk and vegetable proteins. The nutritional composition of fish proteins is optimal as a dietary supplement, but development and research to produce them with the properties that are considered the most optimal for dietary supplements has been lacking. By processing food supplements from fish, it would be possible to increase the value of the raw material. The aim of the project was to develop fish proteins that were used as dietary supplements. Matís' project network has been built with an emphasis on protein and protein products.

The market for nutritional supplements and health beneficial products is increasing as such products play bigger role in people's nutrition. Nutritional supplements are food products intended as an addition to normal diet. Currently proteins in the aforementioned products are mainly processed soy proteins. Fish proteins contain many promising nutritional qualities, but development and research on producing them with the most favorable attributes have not been completed yet. If it were possible to produce nutritional supplements from fish, the catch value could be increased. The aim of this project was to develop fish proteins that could be used as food supplements. On the basis of the project a network of various projects with emphasis on protein and protein products of fish origin has been established at Matís.

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Reports

Fish protein markets. Analysis of products on the market

Published:

01/04/2008

Authors:

Guðjón Þorkelsson, Þóra Valsdóttir, Guðrún Anna Finnbogadóttir, Sigrún Mjöll Halldórsdóttir

Supported by:

AVS

Contact

Guðjón Þorkelsson

Strategic Scientist

gudjon.thorkelsson@matis.is

Fish protein markets. Analysis of products on the market

The report begins with a general description of proteins in the food market, ie. different types of proteins and market share. The main products with fish proteins are also described, i.e. fishmeal, fish protein concentrate, surimi, isolati, fish digestion, fish sauce, flavors, gelatin, dietary supplements and their health-related properties. Targeted diet with soy, milk and fish proteins is described. The main conclusions about the position of fish proteins in this market are: The use of protein isolates in injected and tumbled products will increase the economic, nutritional and environmental value with better utilization of raw materials in fillet processing. Also in the production of prepared seafood. There are still many problems that need to be solved. It would be possible to achieve considerably more value if it were possible to produce high-quality isolates from fatty pelagic fish. Despite indications of various excellent processing properties of fish proteins, methods of isolation and purification are less advanced than for vegetable and milk proteins. They can not compete with them as excipients in prepared foods. However, there is a good chance of developing more supplements from hydrolyzed fish proteins (VFP), for example to reduce blood pressure or to increase the body's protection against stress. Certain protein products can even be used to control appetite in the fight against obesity. In addition, there are products on the market to lower the glycemic index. The market for such fish protein products is not large but is likely to grow, and there are opportunities to use traditional production methods such as fermentation to increase the bioactivity properties of VFP and use them in products known to consumers. It is very likely that low-salt fish sauces and fish flavors with specially designed bioactive properties will be on offer in the future. However, this is partly due to the fact that the health claims are accepted. This requires extensive and costly research that will require both public bodies and companies to pay for.

A short overview is given for products and the market for food protein ingredients. The main types of fish protein products are described, that is, fish meal, fish protein concentrate and isolate, surimi, fish silage, fish sauce, fish flavors and gelatine. Food supplements with soy, dairy and fish proteins or peptides and their health-related properties are covered. The main conclusions for the future outlook for fish protein and peptide products are: Applying protein isolates as water binders in injected and tumbled products will result in greater additional economic, nutritional and environmental values by increasing the yield of raw materials in fish filleting operation and by using them in production of ready-to-eat seafood products. There would be an even greater economic advantage if pH-shift methods could be used to produce high-quality isolates from raw material that today is unfit for traditional processing. Fish protein ingredients cannot compete on price, size and quality with plant and dairy proteins on the functional ingredient market. Plant and dairy ingredients will continue to be a part of formulating ready-to-eat convenience fish products. More supplements from FPH can be developed to reduce high blood pressure but they will face heavy competition from other protein sources. The antioxidant properties of FPH can be employed in supplements and food products to enhance the antioxidant defenses of the body against oxidative stress. They can also be used as immunomodulators to enhance non-specific host defense mechanisms. Specific protein products can even be made to control food intake in the fight against obesity. The market for such products made from fish proteins is not big but it will grow and there are also opportunities for adapting traditional food processes like fermentation to enhance the bioactive properties of FPH and to use them in products that consumers already know. Low-salt fish sauce and fish flavors with tailor-made bioactive properties are likely the future. Sufficient scientific evidence must be produced if companies are to produce and sell products with health claims. Private companies, universities and other research organizations can work together on special hydrolysates or peptides but the cost might be too high for small companies, so a global collaboration may be needed in the interests of fisheries, fish processing industries and consumers worldwide.

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