Camire speaks about functional food for Health Bites blog
Mary Ellen Camire, a University of Maine professor of food science and human nutrition and past president of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), was interviewed for an article on functional food for Vitacost’s Health Bites blog. Camire said functional foods are defined as any fare that provides health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Functional foods include conventional foods; fortified, enriched or enhanced foods; and dietary supplements, according to the IFT. However, the functional foods trend is more focused on everyday natural foods that also happen to fight disease or improve your health, the article states. “Functional foods might offer protection from developing chronic diseases or strengthen immunity,” Camire said. She added functional foods have gained in popularity as the population has started to age. “The proportion of older adults — over 50 years old — is growing all over the world,” she said. “Functional foods are no fountain of youth, [but] some reduce inflammation, improve mood or moderate blood glucose levels.”