Pharmfoods' Feel-Good Claims: Form or Function?

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Questionable Claims

While FDA regulations require action against unsafe dietary supplements on the market, functional foods are largely unregulated. With food, general or implied links to health benefits don't require prior FDA approval, which "often leaves consumers in the dark," says Silverglade. CSPI filed a petition in 2000 urging the FDA to improve oversight of functional foods.

"The functional foods with health claims supported by the FDA's approval process [such as oat fiber] require supporting research, and are the ones consumers should first consider," says Watkins. The British market research website Just- Food puts the 2005 value of U.S. foods that carry FDA-approved health labels at $39.2 billion and lists 18 currently approved claims, with another dozen under consideration.

In response to consumer concerns, the FDA held a public hearing on the issues of labeling and regulating functional foods last December (for coverage, see "Functional Food Fight"). The European Union is also looking into its own legislation and stricter labeling laws are already in place in Japan and Canada. CSPI would like to see prior regulator approval of all types of health claims. As for the consumer, it's best to keep Nestle's common sense advice in mind that "a functional soft drink is still a soft drink and a functional candy is still candy."

What You Can Do

*Nestle advises that parents should keep children from functional foods that are high in sugars and calories.

*Eat whole foods, especially organic produce high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants (such as red grapes) and foods with nutrients such as omega-3 oils (found in fatty fish).

*Check with your doctor or nutritionist before consuming the latest enhanced food. Because ingredient amounts are often not listed, even for potent compounds like ginseng and St. John's wort, herb-infused foods may have interactions with herbal supplements or prescription medications.

*Look for FDA-certified health claims, such as "may reduce the risk of heart disease."

Resources

Information on FDA guidelines: www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/flg-6c.html

CSPI Functional Foods link: www.cspinet.org/reports/functional_foods/index.html

Nutrition Info: www.nutrition.gov

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