Food as a source of health enhancing compounds

Abstract

Molecular nutrition is becoming an increasingly important scientific discipline of human nutrition. The systematic dissection of food into its molecular components followed by studying individual molecules in animal model systems and humans to investigate their nutritional and health benefits is evolving rapidly. The identification, production and marketing of these food-derived bioactives will not only have a significant impact on the development of new regimens for disease treatments but will lead the way into a new era of preventing or postponing the onset of severe chronic diseases. Sound scientific principles, rigorous clinical trials, and science-based regulatory processes will facilitate and help to define a new space in diet and dietary compound-based management of health and disease conditions.