”Development of functional foods based on traditional knowledge and its relevance in the

current American and European diets”

GEORGINA SANDOVALBiocatalysis & Bioprocess group – CIATEJ

gsandoval@ciatej.net.mx / georgina@confluencia.net

DEBATE ON TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, BIODIVERSITY AND FUNCTIONAL FOODS31 March - 1 April 2008 - Mexico City

FROM TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE FROM TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO FUNCTIONAL FOODSTO FUNCTIONAL FOODS

FROM TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE TO FUNCTIONAL FOODS

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGETRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE

‘Traditional knowledge is a cumulative body of knowledge, know-how, practices and representations maintained and developed by peoples with extended histories of interaction with the natural environment.’ (ICSU-UNESCO 2002)

WIPO currently uses the term “traditional knowledge” to refer to tradition-based literary, artistic or scientific works; performances; inventions; scientific discoveries; designs; marks, names and symbols; undisclosed information; and all other tradition-based innovations and creations resulting from intellectual activity in the industrial, scientific, literary orartistic fields.

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE & FUNCTIONAL FOODSTRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE & FUNCTIONAL FOODS

Egypt (4000-2000 BCE) ⇒ honey, spices, functional foods.

Chine (1000 BCE-) ⇒ medicine and food are isogenic.

Hipocrates (400-377 BCE) ⇒ Let food be your medicine.

American pre-hispanic cultures (850 BCE - 1600) ⇒Food (as health and medicine) is a God’s gift.

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IS A VALUABLE SOURCE OF FUNCTIONAL FOODS

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE & FUNCTIONAL FOODSTRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE & FUNCTIONAL FOODS

Many traditional pre-hispanic foods are locally considered as functional foods and scientific research is recently confirming its benefits

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE & FUNCTIONAL FOODSTRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE & FUNCTIONAL FOODS

It includes prebiotics, probiotics, antioxidants, sugar & colesterol lowering agents

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE & FUNCTIONAL FOODS: TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE & FUNCTIONAL FOODS: CHOCOLATECHOCOLATE

1150 BCE – 1550 ACE• Olmecs, Aztecs, Mayan• Food of the gods• Taken in water mixed with chili or maize

1544-1585 • Spanish introduced the chocolate in Europe• Chili is substituted by sugar

17th century• Chocolate houses• Nutrition & Digestion • Milk is added to smooth the flavor

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE & FUNCTIONAL FOODS: TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE & FUNCTIONAL FOODS: CHOCOLATECHOCOLATE

1828-Modern era• Dutching - van Houten• Conching - Lindt• Milk chocolate - Nestle

Cardiovascular healthAm J Hypertens (2005) 18, 785 In the top antioxidant sourcesTrends in Food Sci & Tech (2006)

17:505–512Well-being in elderly peopleEuropean Journal of Clinical

Nutrition (2007) 61, 1189 -1195

Dark chocolate (as consumed by Aztecs) has these benefits, milk chocolate hasn’tNature 424, 1013 - 1013(2003)

AMERICAN & EUROPEAN PERCEPTION AMERICAN & EUROPEAN PERCEPTION OF FUNCTIONAL FOODSOF FUNCTIONAL FOODS

AMERICAN & EUROPEAN PERCEPTION OF FUNCTIONAL FOODS

FUNCTIONAL FOOD: AMERICAN DEFINITIONFUNCTIONAL FOOD: AMERICAN DEFINITION

Foods and food components that provide ahealth benefit beyond basic nutrition (for the intended population).

Examples may include conventional foods; fortified, enriched or enhanced foods; and dietary supplements.

DEFINITION OF FUNCTIONAL FOOD:

Functional Foods: Opportunities and Challenges, Expert report, Institute of Food Technologists (2005)

FUNCTIONAL FOOD: EUROPEAN WORKING DEFINITIONFUNCTIONAL FOOD: EUROPEAN WORKING DEFINITION

1. Food nature of functional food: it is not a pill, a capsule or any form of dietary supplement.

2. Demonstration of the effects to the satisfaction of the scientific community.

3. Beneficial effects on body functions, beyond adequate nutritional effects, that are relevant to

A. improved state of health and well-being and/or B. reduction of risk (not prevention) of disease.

4. Consumption as part of a normal food pattern.

MAIN ASPECTS OF A FUNCTIONAL FOOD:

Scientific concepts of functional foods in Europe: consensus document. British Journal of Nutrition 81, Suppl. 1, S1–S27 (1999)

Many Europeans distrust functional foods

ATTITUDES TOWARDS FUNCTIONAL FOODSATTITUDES TOWARDS FUNCTIONAL FOODS

ATTITUDES TOWARDS FUNCTIONAL FOODSATTITUDES TOWARDS FUNCTIONAL FOODS

Latin Americans do believe in functional foods

DIFFERENT KIND OF CONSUMERSDIFFERENT KIND OF CONSUMERS

FunctionalFood? I wantjust food

In many Latin American countries there is borderline ingestion of several nutrients

DIFFERENT KIND OF CONSUMERSDIFFERENT KIND OF CONSUMERS

I’m interestedin functionalfood

55 % KNOWS THAT IT EXIST A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEALTH & FOOD

DIFFERENT KIND OF CONSUMERSDIFFERENT KIND OF CONSUMERS

Yes I needfunctionalfood, but…

52% THINK THAT FOOD MUST BE HEALTHY BUT ALSO TASTY

FUNCTIONAL FOOD IN THE CURRENT DIETFUNCTIONAL FOOD IN THE CURRENT DIET

FUNCTIONAL FOODS OFFER OPPORTUNITIES & BENEFITS BOTH TO SUPPLY DEFICIENCIES AND TO COMPENSATE EXCESS

REGULATION & LAWS REGULATION & LAWS FOR FUNCTIONAL FOODSFOR FUNCTIONAL FOODS

REGULATION & LAWS FOR FUNCTIONAL FOODS

Functional foods are regulated by the United StatesFood and Drug Administration (FDA) under the authority oftwo Laws:

1. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C) of1938 provides for the regulation of all foods and foodadditives.

2. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act(DSHEA) of 1994 amended the FD&C Act to coverdietary supplements and ingredients of dietarysupplements.

Functional foods may be categorized as whole foods,enriched foods, fortified foods, or enhanced foods.

Some health claims are allowed.

FUNCTIONAL FOOD REGULATION & LAWSFUNCTIONAL FOOD REGULATION & LAWS

FUNCTIONAL FOOD REGULATION & LAWSFUNCTIONAL FOOD REGULATION & LAWS

• Setting up nutrient profiles by 2009 – the basicnutritional criteria that will govern the conditions in which claims may be made

• Establishing an EU-wide list of permitted healthclaims by 2010

• Assessing on a case-by-case basiswhether individualclaims are scientifically reliable and justified

• Providing guidance for applications on thepreparation of applications for the authorisation ofclaims

• BRAZIL: Both functional (enhanced function) and health claims are defined and allowed. “Agencia Nacional de VigilanciaSanitaria”. Decreto 16, 17, 18 e 19 de abril de 1999.

• MEXICO: Labels and come claims. “Ley General de Salud”, NOM (SCFI, SSA)

• CHILE: Labels and come claims. “Manual de Etiquetado de Alimentos”

FUNCTIONAL FOOD REGULATION & LAWSFUNCTIONAL FOOD REGULATION & LAWS

Aggett et al. PASSCLAIM PROCESS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF SCIENTIFIC SUPPORTFOR CLAIMS ON FOODS Consensus on Criteria Eur J Nutr (2005) [Suppl 1] 44 : I/1–I/30

FUNCTIONAL FOODS, HEALTH & NUTRITION CLAIMSFUNCTIONAL FOODS, HEALTH & NUTRITION CLAIMS

Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council of27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients

‘‘NOVELNOVEL’’ FOODS & INGREDIENTS EVALUATIONFOODS & INGREDIENTS EVALUATION

1. The person responsible for placing on the Community market(hereinafter 'the applicant`) shall submit a request to the MemberState in which the product is to be placed on the market for the firsttime. At the same time, he shall forward a copy of the request to theCommission.

2. An initial assessment as provided for in Article 6 shall be carried out.3. Each Member State shall notify to the Commission the name and

address of the food assessment bodies responsible in its territory forpreparing the initial assessment reports referred to in Article 6 (2).

4. Before the date of entry into force of this Regulation, the Commissionshall publish recommendations concerning the scientific aspects of:- the information necessary to support an application and the presentation

of such information,- the preparation of the initial assessment reports provided

5. Any detailed rules for implementing this Article shall be adopted forin Article 6. in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article13.likely to have an effect on public health must be referred to theScientific Committee for Food.

‘‘NOVELNOVEL’’ FOODS & INGREDIENTS EVALUATIONFOODS & INGREDIENTS EVALUATION

If the current evaluation procedures for novel foods were applied in the 14th century, maybe some of the ‘traditional’

foods in European countries would not exist.

Novel foods or novel food ingredients may follow a simplified procedure, only requiring notifications from the company, when they are considered by a national food assessment body as "substantially equivalent" to existing foods or food ingredients (as regards their composition, nutritional value, metabolism, intended use and the level of undesirable substances contained therein)

‘‘NOVELNOVEL’’ FOODS & INGREDIENTS EVALUATIONFOODS & INGREDIENTS EVALUATION

For traditional food from third countries, a safety assessment and management based on history of safe food use in the country of origin shall be introduced.

If the history of safe food use in the country of origin has been demonstrated, and the Member States and EFSA do not present reasoned safety objections, based on scientific evidence, the food could be placed on the market on basis of a notification of the food business operator intending to market the food.

http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biotechnology/novelfood/COM872_novel_food_proposal_en.pdf

COUPLING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH COUPLING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH & TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE& TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE

COUPLING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH & TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE

• Traditional knowledge is neither intended to be in competition with science.

• On the contrary, traditional knowledge has informed science from its very beginnings and it continues to do so today.

• Subsequent research confirmed the subtle and meticulous nature of indigenous knowledge.

• Most recently, there has been renewed recognition of indigenous knowledge as a potential source for biodiversity.

• Traditional peoples knowledgeable about their local flora and fauna have continued to draw the attention of scientists to new species.

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE HELPSTRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE HELPSSCIENTIFIC RESEARCHSCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

• In the early 1980s, three large-scale researchprogrammes were launched and funded by theJapanese government on– “systematic analysis and development of food functions”,– “analysis of physiological regulation of the function of

food”– and “analysis of functional foods and molecular design”.

• A category of foods for potential benefits in a national effort to reduce the escalating cost ofhealth care, Foods for Specific Health Use (FOSHU), was established in 1991.

• Nowadays > 250 foods for specified health uses.

FUNCTIONAL FOODS: SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHFUNCTIONAL FOODS: SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

European Commission’s Concerted Action on Functional Food Science in Europe (FUFOSE)Trends in Food Sci & Tech 18 (2007) 231

FUNCTIONAL FOODS: SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHFUNCTIONAL FOODS: SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

FUNCTIONAL FOODS: FUNCTIONAL FOODS: SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH & TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGESCIENTIFIC RESEARCH & TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE

Functional Foods: Opportunities and Challenges, Expert report, Institute of Food Technologists. 2005.

• Deep scientific studies on: – New raw-materials by exploring biodiversity– Non-conventional sources (v.g. insects)– Bioactive components in traditional foods– New probiotics in traditional fermented beverages

FUNCTIONAL FOODS: FUNCTIONAL FOODS: SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH & TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGESCIENTIFIC RESEARCH & TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE

SOME EXPERIENCES WITH MEXICAN COMUNITIES SOME EXPERIENCES WITH MEXICAN COMUNITIES

SOME EXPERIENCES WITH MEXICAN COMUNITIES

MEXICOMEXICO

• Mexico is a megadiverse country.• Endemic flora & fauna.• 62 ethnic groups (13% of population)• Some documented uses of functional

food.• Lack of taxonomy & characterization of

many species.

• In many communities the predominant gender is feminine due to the migration of men to USA

• In rural zones analphabetism reaches 18%

• Traditional / organic agriculture

Federal funded research center (CONACYT) Fundamental & Applied Biotechnology in Food & Beverages, Pharma, Energy and Agroindustry

- Characterization of the microflora & processes of fermented beverages

- Enzyme-aided extraction & modification of Natural products

- Nutritional & Organoleptic characterization- Agavacea, Opuntia, Persea, Euphorbia …

• Crop wasting due to lack of conserving & transforming options• Ignorance about the possibilities of adding value to their crops• Women are very receptive to new information & developments

SOME EXPERIENCES WITH MEXICAN COMUNITIES SOME EXPERIENCES WITH MEXICAN COMUNITIES

Language & Organization difficultiesIntegral projects are necessary:-Educational & Legal support-Implement mechanisms for easy transfer of the research results & benefits

TRENDS & CHALLENGESTRENDS & CHALLENGES

TRENDS & CHALLENGES

• In the 1980s and 1990s, this taxonomic knowledge has attracted the interest of pharmaceutical and agricultural companies triggering concern about bio-prospecting and the intellectual property rights of local communities.

• There are a number of complex obstacles to protecting the rights of holders of traditional knowledge. International property right regimes may pose barriers to equitable benefit sharing.

• Numerous international professional associations and societies have been addressing the important issues (v.g. Convention on Biological Biodiversity).

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY& INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

PATENTED

BIOPIRACY

• In 2005, the global functional food market reached US$73.5billion.

• The market now has more global appeal, and is not limited to the more established food industries such as those of Western Europe and North America.

• Market will growth in a greater number of regions, including Europe, North America, Asia, Australasia and Latin America.

FUNCTIONAL FOODS MARKETSFUNCTIONAL FOODS MARKETS

Bharat Book Bureau (2007)

TRENDS IN FUNCTIONAL FOODSTRENDS IN FUNCTIONAL FOODS

Reduce risk of:Hipocolesterolemia

Obesity DiabetesCardiovascular healthCancerMacular degenerationNeurodegenerationBioactives:

EstrogenicsAntioxidantsAnti-inflammatoriesImmunomodulators

Specific population:

Women

Child

Elderly people

Improvement on:

Humor

Oral health

Skin

SCIENTIFIC CHALLENGESSCIENTIFIC CHALLENGES

Make inventories & taxonomy of traditional bioresources.

Identify the bioactive constituents of traditional foods.

Develop suitable extraction & conservation technologies.

Improve bioactivity by enzymatic & microbial biotransformation.

Understand the mechanism of action of nutrients.

Identify biomarkers to signal specific health improvements.

Nutrigenomics & molecular nutrition.

Suitable food vehicles for bioactive ingredients(bioavailable, desirable organoleptic characteristics,…)

SOCIAL CHALLENGESSOCIAL CHALLENGES

Recognize that scientists are also influenced by their own cultures in which they learn, work and research.

Training and education of local and indigenous people.

Enhance the intergenerational transmission of traditional knowledge.

Recognize the rights of traditional people to own, regulate, access and share benefits of their unique sets of knowledge, resources & products.

Recognize that traditional knowledge systems offer unique and valuable approaches to acquisition and construction of knowledge.

Enable models for environmental and sustainable governance that incorporate principles of genuine partnership and collaboration in addition of equitable and fair sharing of benefits.