Official Definition and Administrative Framework of Functional Foods: Ministry of Education Naming System and Multi-Party Collaboration System

Recently, functional terms such as "functional membranes" and "functional polymers" have become very popular. "Functional foods" is a newly coined term in this context. The primary characteristic of food is to provide the nutrients necessary for life. The secondary characteristic of food is sensory; that is, whether it is palatable to the five senses. The use of the term "function" in the context of food first appeared in a 1984 research report by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, titled "Systematic Analysis and Discussion of Food Functions." Today, the term "food function" has replaced the term "food characteristics."

Regarding the third characteristic of food-its regulatory function on the body-the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has designated it as a key area since 1988, planning to continue research on "the regulatory function of food on the human body" for three years. Foods that, through design and processing, can fully exert this regulatory function on the human body (such as enhancing immunity, regulating bodily rhythms, and preventing and treating diseases) are called functional foods. This regulatory function of food on the human body is equivalent to "medicinal efficacy," but it cannot be described using the term "medicinal efficacy." This is because, to date, except for pharmaceuticals, the use of "medicinal efficacy" descriptions is strictly prohibited. This regulation remains unchanged.

Currently, while functional foods that meet specifications and are approved still cannot be described using the previously prohibited term "medicinal effects," their effectiveness can be explained using the term "nutritional effects." This is the significance of creating a completely new definition of functional foods. Functional foods should be made from raw materials or ingredients commonly used in food, and should be consumed in a common form and method. In other words, anything made from raw materials not commonly used in food (such as ginseng, chlorella, etc.) cannot be called a functional food. Functional foods cannot be in the capsule or tablet form introduced earlier in this book.

Functional foods must be presented in a form similar to braised meat chunks or seasonings, so that anyone can immediately recognize them as food. Furthermore, effects that have historically been prohibited except for those found in pharmaceuticals can be described as having regulatory functions on the human body. Regarding these regulatory functions, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare can decide how to express them when approving various functional foods. Since 1988, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has established the "Functional Food Advisory Committee," composed of experts, as an advisory body to the Director of the Bureau of Health and Welfare. The "Functional Food Advisory Committee" discusses the evaluation of the effectiveness of functional foods, their descriptions, approval methods, and new regulations.

Furthermore, starting in April 1988, the Health Food Countermeasures Office of the Food and Health Division of the Bureau of Health and Welfare was expanded and renamed the Newly Developed Food Health Countermeasures Office, responsible for health countermeasures for newly developed foods, including functional foods. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries also pays close attention to functional foods from the perspective of revitalizing the food industry. Starting in fiscal year 1988, it launched a technical development project on "Development of High-Efficiency Separation Systems for the Food Industry," aiming to develop technologies for separating and refining effective components in food. It should be said that functional foods are a product of high-tech food processing; therefore, from both a production and consumption perspective, they can be considered very suitable for Japan's national conditions.

Given the aging population, rising incomes, and growing health consciousness, the functional food industry is poised for significant growth. It is estimated that once a functional food is approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, purchases by those skeptical of health foods and thus hesitant to buy them will increase. Considering the current large market for health foods, hospital foods, and the potential future growth of disease-preventing foods, functional foods are expected to develop into a highly profitable category, similar to pharmaceuticals. The food and pharmaceutical industries, along with many companies optimistic about this vast new market, have quickly entered this field and begun developing new functional foods.