USA In the United States, consumer demand for new foods and changes in eating habits and food safety risks are affecting the food processing industry. To address the need for safer food and compete for consumer acceptance, manufacturers are exploring new food processing and preservation methods. The industry perception is that consumers want foods that not only cause no harm but also remedy ailments from heart disease, osteoporosis, and fatigue to memory loss. Categories of foods that promote health are fortified foods, performance-enhancing food additives, probiotics, and prebiotics.
Food fortification is an old process.
For example, marketers are promoting all sorts of foods fortified with calcium to women concerned about osteoporosis. Performance-enhancing foods are popular. Such foods range from beverages to replace electrolytes and prolong physical endurance to amino acids and fatty acids to improve alertness and memory. Probiotics and prebiotics are two paths to the same result. Research studies suggest that a desirable intestinal microflora causes the host to be less susceptible to intestinal pathogens.