World Market of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Abstract

Today foods are not intended only to satisfy hunger and to provide necessary nutrients for humans but also to prevent nutrition-related diseases and improve physical and mental well-being of the consumers. The increased knowledge on the relationship between nutrients and health has resulted in several new product categories, such as functional foods and nutraceuticals. A function food is one which demonstrates to affect beneficially one or more target functions in the body, beyond its nutritional effects. Functional foods are concerned with the prevention of disease or reduction of disease risk, but cannot make any claims as to cures. The term nutraceuticals was first introduced by DeFelice in 1989 and in 1994 defined as “any substance that may be considered a food or part of a food which provides medical or health benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease” (DeFelice in What is a true nutraceutical?—and—What is the nature & size of U.S. nutraceutical market? The Foundation for Innovation in Medicine, Cranford, 1994). Nutraceuticals are functional foods capable of modifying one or more organic functions favorably in addition to their nutritional effect. Probiotics and omega-3 fatty acids are the important nutraceutical ingredients that promise maximum growth over the next five years. Out of various groups of nutraceuticals, the most sought group is the products containing or enriched with omega-3 fatty acids. This article reviews the world market of such products.