What's Coming, What's Staying, What's Going in Functional Food?
Nine years ago, the first products with D-lactic acid found their way into Europe's supermarkets. Today, one in six yogurts is classed as probiotic.
24/02/05 An international conference hosted by Akademie Fresenius has set its sights on assessing the latest developments in "functional food" and predicting future trends within this area. The event, which takes place in Cologne on April 25-26, 2005, will be attended by food experts from Germany and Europe.
Nine years ago, the first products with D-lactic acid found their way into Europe's supermarkets. Today, one in six yogurts is classed as probiotic. Studies conducted within this area suggest that the market volume for "functional" or "fortified" food amounts to roughly 600 million to one billion euros. And yet, not every product fortified with probiotics, prebiotics, plant extracts or minerals has delivered on the original promises made by food developers. Gauging the prospects of "functional food" is becoming increasingly difficult, not only because of the vagaries of consumer behaviour but also due to the current legal situation and rapid advances made within the field of technology and industry.
The international Fresenius conference in Cologne will be focusing on the latest generation of functional food products: nutritional scientists, food chemists, legal experts and representatives from the field of politics and market supervision will come together to discuss the key issues. Conference participants will also be taking a closer look at additives such as inulin and oligofructose, as well as discussing complex risk management models and the differences between "functional food" and "medical food".
The invited guests include managers from Danone, Unilever, Kraft Foods and Monsanto, as well as representatives of the European Parliament and the European Food Safety Authority. The event will be held in English.
For full details visit: www.akademie-fresenius.de
