Extract functional substances (lycopene, vitamins, glutathione, carotenoids, etc.) from tomatoes and apply them in the research and development of functional foods, promoting the development of biotechnology and its practical application in daily life; And it is conducive to the deep processing of tomatoes as an agricultural product, creating high added value, improving its economic value, and driving the healthy cycle and rapid development of related industries.
01
Current research or development status both domestically and internationally
1. Current situation of domestic research and development At present, the cultivation, processing, and export of tomatoes in China are all in a continuous growth trend. After more than 20 years of development, China has become the world's most important producer and exporter of tomato products. In 2006, there were a total of 66 tomato sauce production enterprises in China, with an annual processing capacity of over 1 million tons and an annual export volume of over 600000 tons. It became the third largest production area and the largest export country after the United States and the European Union. In 2006, China processed 4.3 million tons of fresh tomatoes and produced nearly 700000 tons of tomato sauce. In 2005, China exported 601000 tons of tomato sauce, with an export trade volume of 300 million US dollars. In 2006, tomato sauce exports reached a new high, with an annual export volume of 629800 tons and an export value of 356 million US dollars. The export quantity and amount increased by 4.79% and 18.67% year-on-year, respectively, and the export share has accounted for 30% of the world trade volume. Between 1999 and 2006, the world's tomato export trade volume increased by 630000 tons, with an average annual growth of 6.2%. China's growth was 490000 tons, with an average annual growth of 33.4%. However, due to the narrow domestic market, tomato companies in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and other regions mainly rely on exports for their processed product sales. In order to compete for the international market, companies often use price as a winning weapon to attract customers with low prices, resulting in a continuous decline in the overall selling price of tomato exports. The long-term low price competition has reduced the profit margin of enterprises, increased operational risks, and transferred profits to foreign sales enterprises, weakening the international competitiveness of Chinese enterprises, directly affecting the sustainable development of China's tomato industry, and also increasing the possibility of major trading countries implementing anti-dumping or trade protection measures. The tomato juice market has seen some growth in recent years, but the current market size is still relatively small, and further improvements are needed in product taste and consumption habits need to be cultivated. At present, there are few tomato juice production enterprises, mainly some juice manufacturers in Guangzhou, Tianjin, Shanghai and other places. Overall, the market size of tomato juice is relatively small, and currently, most tomato juice manufacturers are developing tomato juice with the aim of continuously expanding their product areas, in order to maintain their high-end and fashionable brand image. However, they have not made significant promotional investments or promotions specifically in tomato juice beverages. The tomato sauce market is currently growing rapidly and the level of competition has suddenly intensified. Since 1998, especially in the Guangdong region, a large number of manufacturers have started producing sauce. Up to now, there are over a hundred sauce manufacturers nationwide, and a group of well-known brands have a certain level of popularity and loyalty, such as Merlin, Wei Hao Mei, Ai Zhi Wei, Jia Le, etc., which have a high market share and popularity. The participation of imported products such as Heinz and Dimen has further intensified the competition in this market. The main production enterprises of tomato sauce are concentrated in the southern and eastern regions of China. The sauce market is generally optimistic, with the involvement of some well-known brands and the emergence of a large number of tomato sauce production enterprises in South and East China, making the competition in this market even more intense. The small packaging tomato sauce market has a large amount of tomato raw material sauce, but due to the stable purchasing volume of catering industry users in this market and the substitution of tomato sauce, the market is basically saturated and overall development tends to be stable. In the catering user market, imported small packaged sauce products often add certain seasoning agents to the original tomato sauce. For example, the ingredients for 3150g canned Hans tomato paste are concentrated tomato sauce, citric acid, salt, and spices. Due to its well-known brand and unique taste, the product occupies a place in high-end restaurants and hotels. In the household consumption market, apart from Tianjin in the northwest and north of China, which have a large consumption habit of consuming tomato sauce, ordinary residents in other areas, especially in rural areas of southern and eastern China, lack the consumption habit of tomato products, and these areas constitute a space for development. In addition, in terms of packaging, in many regions, traditional tinplate packaging still lacks innovative and convenient packaging forms. Current status of research and development abroad Some developed countries abroad attach great importance to research in the field of tomato industry. The United States has specialized tomato production and trade services and research institutions, such as the California Tomato Planting Association (CTOA) and the California Food Processing Federation (CFLP), which provide tomato production technology and status to guide the healthy development of tomato enterprises. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States is also responsible for providing information on the status and development of domestic and global tomato trade, conducting extensive research and data collection. These data and materials become the main basis for analyzing international market changes in the US tomato industry, and provide reliable background information for formulating tomato export trade policies. The US Department of Agriculture also collects data on tomato production, consumption, and trade in major tomato trading countries, which plays a positive role in studying the development of tomato industry in various countries around the world and promoting US tomato trade. Canada publishes an annual report on the development of the tomato industry, which provides detailed data and information mainly related to tomato trade. In addition, the Ontario Food Processing Association of Canada also provides a favorable external environment for the development of the country's tomato industry. Another important tomato organization, the World Tomato Federation (WPTC), has a positive promoting effect on global tomato production, processing, and trade. The organization of the World Tomato Processing Federation is a professional organization that came to establish member countries of WPTC, and China joined in 2002. The World Tomato Congress is held once a year, and WPTC is composed of regional groups functionally corresponding to major production regions. The global tomato magazine Tomatoland also provides various information exchange and support for tomato production and trade in various countries.
02
The purpose and significance of developing this functional food
With the acceleration of people's pace of life, the tension of work, and the development of interpersonal relationships, people are facing increasing pressure in both physical and mental aspects. The number of sub healthy people is increasing day by day, and various small problems are constantly bothering them. This has given rise to a large number of people with urgent needs for functional foods, and has also led to a period of rapid development in the research and development of functional foods. The deep processing and extraction of functional components from tomatoes, as well as the successful development of functional foods, not only improve people's quality of life and health levels, enrich their choices in daily life, but also contribute to improving the raw material utilization and commercial added value of tomatoes as an agricultural product, driving the production enthusiasm of farmers, increasing economic income, and improving living standards. Furthermore, due to the ease of cultivation and cultivation of tomatoes, their high yield, and less strict geographical requirements, they have abundant sources and easy access to raw materials. Its deep processing and extract products not only have efficient health benefits, but also have a lower price, which is accepted by the general public and conducive to commercialization and marketization. (1) Edible value: Tomatoes, also known as tomatoes, are annual herbaceous plants in the Solanaceae family. They have a sweet and sour taste, thick and delicious flesh, and are rich in nutrients. Sweet and sour, cool and slightly cold in nature, can clear heat and quench thirst; Nourishing yin, cooling blood, regulating the liver, stomach, and lung meridians, it has the effects of generating fluids and quenching thirst, strengthening the stomach and digestion, clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling blood and calming the liver, supplementing blood and nourishing blood, and enhancing appetite. It can treat thirst and loss of appetite, reduce blood pressure and capillary permeability, and has certain anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects. Used for fever and thirst, stomach heat and thirst, dry tongue, insufficient liver yin, blurred vision or night blindness, yin deficiency and blood heat, nosebleeds, gum bleeding, and can also be used for hypertension. The action of lycopene has strong antioxidant activity. In fact, the name lycopene comes from tomatoes, which belong to the Solanaceae tomato genus and are the most abundant food source of lycopene. Lycopene has the following effects: Firstly, it is not only an important natural food coloring agent in today's industry, but more importantly, it is a strong antioxidant. Supplementing with lycopene can resist aging, enhance the immune system, and reduce the occurrence of diseases; Lycopene can also reduce the degeneration of macula in the eyes and reduce pigmentation. Secondly, due to its strong antioxidant effect, it can effectively alleviate and prevent cardiovascular disease, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Thirdly, lycopene effectively eliminates free radicals in the body, prevents and repairs cell damage, inhibits DNA oxidation, and thus reduces the incidence of cancer. Research shows that lycopene can effectively prevent prostate cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, bladder pain, uterine cancer, skin cancer, etc. (2) Nutritional value: The nutritional components of every 100 grams of tomato include 11 kcal of energy, 60 mg of Vitamin B, 0.9 g of protein, 0.2 g of fat, 3.3 g of carbohydrates, 5.6 micrograms of folic acid, 1.9 g of dietary fiber, 63 micrograms of vitamin A, 375 micrograms of carotene, 0.2 mg of thiamine, 0.01 mg of riboflavin, 0.49 mg of niacin, 14 mg of vitamin C, 0.42 mg of vitamin E, 4 mg of calcium, 24 mg of phosphorus, 179 mg of potassium, 9.7 mg of sodium, 2.5 micrograms of iodine, 12 mg of magnesium, 0.2 mg of iron, 0.12 mg of zinc, 0.04 mg of copper, and 0.06 mg of manganese.
03
Research or development content and methods
The carotenoids extracted by supercritical CO2 at 40 ℃ and 10-30MPa are mainly β- Carotenoids and lutein; 35-45MPa is mainly composed of lycopene. Maintaining a constant pressure of 35MPa, the extraction rate of lycopene increases with temperature and reaches its maximum at 70 ℃. In order to obtain the maximum content of lycopene extract, a two-step extraction method was used. Firstly, the raw materials are extracted under conditions of 40 ℃ and 30MPa; Then, change the temperature and pressure to 70 ℃ and 35 MPa respectively to continue extraction. The product obtained in this way contains 84.23% lycopene. Extraction process flow: tomato → mashing → tomato paste → drying → crushing → organic solvent extraction → extraction solution → filtration → filtrate → vacuum concentration of crude leaves → refining → vacuum drying → finished pigment [4]. Tomatoes ->Peeling ->Crushing ->Extraction ->Column passing ->Concentration ->Addition of adsorbents ->Finished product [5] Using modern high and new technologies, such as membrane separation technology, supercritical fluid extraction technology, microcapsule technology, biotechnology, ultra-fine grinding technology, aseptic packaging technology, molecular distillation technology, modern analytical detection technology, drying technology (freeze drying, spray drying and sublimation drying), organic solvent extraction method, microwave assisted extraction method, ultrasonic assisted extraction method, enzyme reaction method, ultra-high pressure extraction method, high-voltage pulsed electric field assisted extraction method, etc., extract effective ingredients from raw materials, remove harmful ingredients, and then use various effective ingredients as raw materials, according to different scientific formulas and product requirements, determine reasonable processing technology, carry out scientific preparation, recombination, seasoning and other processing, to produce a series of scientific, nutritious, healthy and convenient functional foods. Ultra high pressure extraction of lycopene: The optimal process conditions for ultra-high pressure extraction of lycopene are pressure of 300 MPa, holding time of 5 minutes, solid-liquid ratio of 1:10, extraction three times, and the extraction rate of lycopene can reach 83.2%. Ultra high pressure extraction of lycopene is a suitable method for extracting lycopene due to its short time and high extraction rate. Weigh a certain amount of tomato pomace, add different volumes of n-hexane, and mix to form a suspension; Put the packaged sample into a polyethylene plastic bag, vacuum package it, and soak it in the pressure medium oil of a high-pressure container. The suspension is subjected to high-pressure treatment, and after treatment, the solid particles are filtered to obtain the extraction solution. Extract three times, combine the extraction solutions, concentrate under reduced pressure, and calculate the lycopene extraction rate [6].
04
The instruments, equipment, and conditions required for the research or development of this functional food
751-GD UV visible spectrophotometer (Shanghai Analytical Instrument Factory), UHP900 × 2-Z ultra-high pressure treatment device, high-speed centrifuge, spectrophotometer (UV-756 and UV-754), dryer, vacuum extractor, extraction column, etc. Low temperature, vacuum, organic solvents (petroleum ether, acetone, chloroform, ether, n-hexane, etc.), adhesives, etc. 05
The expected effects and application prospects of this functional food research or development
Based on the current production status of tomato products, the following are suggestions for the development and research of tomato products: (1) Tomato sauce seasoning pack Tomato sauce is a seasoning product made mainly from tomato sauce and processed with other spicy seasonings, with various packaging options. Tomato sauce is used as a seasoning in home cooking, mixed dishes, and restaurants for the convenience of customers. If a tomato sauce seasoning bag that suits the taste of domestic consumers can be developed, as a new type of seasoning, it will be loved by consumers when combined with instant noodles. (2) Tomato dairy products Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and Vc, and adding them to dairy products not only enhances their nutritional value, but also adds vibrant colors. However, special treatment is required in the production of ice cream and lactobacillus beverages to form the best flavor and taste with other late additives. (3) Tomato juice beverage Tomatoes can be processed into tomato juice, fermented juice, soy milk compound juice, and fruit vegetable compound juice. Carrot juice and compound vegetable juice have already occupied a place in the beverage market. Tomato juice has an appetizing effect, with a Vc content of 15-25mg/100ml. Four times the size of orange juice, it will have great market development potential. Tomatoes are highly heat sensitive processing materials. After heating, it is easy to produce an unpleasant odor. By utilizing advanced technologies in today's fruit and vegetable juice processing, such as cold sterilization, membrane filtration, and biological fermentation, tomato juice can maintain its unique flavor and nutrition. Functional drinks are a collective term that combines sports drinks, energy drinks, and other special beverages to provide health and nutritional benefits to specific populations; It has now become the fastest growing beverage variety. So far, functional drinks based on lycopene have not been developed in China, but they have been widely used abroad. As early as 1999, Roche Company studied the formula of lycopene beverages, including sports drinks, breakfast drinks, and composite fruit juice drinks, and studied the stability at temperatures of 20-30 ℃ and light exposure of 300-900 Lux. The experimental results were ideal. In addition, Coca Cola Japan has also launched various types of red functional drinks containing lycopene. Lycopene has good physiological functions, can effectively relieve fatigue, and long-term consumption can also prevent many chronic diseases. Therefore, developing functional drinks rich in lycopene has good market prospects. (4) Tomato powder Tomato paste can be directly processed into tomato powder by spray drying. Tomato powder has a wide range of applications. Can be used in solid beverages, baked goods, cold drinks, noodle products, and baby food. According to data, every 1009 tomato powder contains 11.3% crude protein, VA3986IU, VB10.55mg, VB20.06mg, niacin 6.0mg, niacinamide 4.4mg, VC124.8mg, etc. (5) Tomato dietary fiber Tomato skin contains a high amount of dietary fiber, which has been listed as the seventh nutrient and is an indispensable nutrient in the diet. It has the function of improving the ecological environment in the field and excreting toxic substances. The dietary fiber in tomato skin has a good taste and is a valuable resource for development. (6) Tomato seed oil Tomato seeds contain a high content of tomato seed oil, generally above 22%, with an oil yield of 10%~12%. Tomato seed oil contains a lot of unsaturated fatty acids (such as oleic acid and linoleic acid), making it a high-quality edible oil. Tomato seed oil is a cholesterol regulator that can inhibit atherosclerosis and is used for the prevention and treatment of hypertension, cerebral hemorrhage, myocardial infarction, and cirrhosis. (7) Tomato SOD It is an important oxygen free radical scavenger with strong antioxidant capacity. SOD has aroused great interest in delaying cancer cell spread and as an anti-aging drug in the pharmaceutical industry. At present, there are many anti-aging health products with added SOD both domestically and internationally. (8) Lycopene Lycopene has superior physiological functions and its immune enhancement effect is significantly better than others β- Carotenoids and α- Carotenoids are currently found to have the strongest ability to quench singlet oxygen and free radicals. Lycopene also plays a role in clearing ultraviolet rays, preventing pigmentation, black spots, etc. caused by ultraviolet rays. Lycopene has a beneficial effect on protecting the heart due to its strong antioxidant properties. When circulating in the bloodstream, it can prevent free radicals from damaging cells, deoxyribonucleic acid, and genes. Lycopene is widely used in health foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. The anti-aging and anti-cancer effects of tomatoes are mainly manifested in the following aspects: (1) Tomatoes contain lycopene It is a natural pigment component that belongs to the class of carotenoids in terms of chemical structure. It is an antioxidant with various functions such as antioxidant, anti-aging, mutation inhibition, reduction of cardiovascular disease, and prevention of cancer. Through epidemiological investigations and multiple animal experiments, it has been proven that lycopene does have the effect of preventing and inhibiting malignant tumors. Lycopene can reduce the size of prostate cancer, delay its spread, and help people fight against prostate cancer. A research report by researchers from Harvard University in the United States shows that eating tomatoes regularly can reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men. The report states that men who eat tomatoes 10 times a week will have a 45% lower risk of prostate cancer. After studying 46 types of vegetables and fruits, researchers found that only tomatoes and strawberries have a protective effect on men's prostate. Researchers once asked some participants to eat tomatoes 4-7 times a week, which reduced their risk of prostate cancer by 20%. And those who do it more than 10 times a week have decreased by 45%. A medical research institute in Japan investigated four regions with different incidence rate of gastric cancer, and determined the vitamin VA, VC, VE and β- The higher the concentration of lycopene, the lower the incidence rate of gastric cancer. Scientists have used modern technological means to prove that lycopene can quench singlet oxygen through physical and chemical methods, capturing peroxide radicals. Although most carotenoids are effective antioxidants, lycopene has the strongest activity in quenching singlet oxygen. One of the important mechanisms of tumor formation is the occurrence of gene mutations in tissue cells under the action of external mutagens, and lycopene can block this process, thereby exerting anti-cancer effects. (2) Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C Vitamin C plays an important role in regulating the physiological functions of the body. Vitamin C can maintain the normal physiological functions of teeth, bones, blood vessels, and muscles; Beneficial for the generation of antibodies in the body, increasing the body's resistance to infection; Vitamin C can improve lipid metabolism, protect cardiovascular function, and prevent arteriosclerosis; Vitamin VC has the functions of anti lipid peroxidation and elimination of free radicals, blocking the formation of nitrosamines and preventing the release of hyaluronidase in the body. Therefore, vitamin VC has the functions of anti-aging, resistance, prevention, and treatment of cancer. However, vitamin VC has strong reducing properties and is highly susceptible to factors such as temperature, pH, and light. It is easily destroyed under alkaline conditions and more stable under acidic conditions. Tomatoes contain abundant citric acid and malic acid, and vitamin VC is protected in this acidic environment, so the loss during cooking is relatively small. Under the same conditions, the preservation rate of vitamin VC in tomatoes is much higher than other vegetables. (3) The glutathione contained in tomatoes has anti-cancer and anti-aging effects Tomatoes also contain a substance that can inhibit tyrosinase activity, which can reduce or disappear the pigmentation of the skin, prevent the formation of butterfly spots and senile spots, so tomatoes are a good beauty vegetable. In addition, tomatoes also have a very important dietary therapeutic effect. Vitamin VC and vitamin VA can help reduce the risk of cancer, while folic acid can prevent heart disease and other diseases. Vitamin VP can protect blood vessels, prevent hypertension, maintain normal secretion of gastric juice, and promote the formation of red blood cells. Lycopene has diuretic and digestive effects, and is particularly beneficial for patients with kidney disease. Therefore, long-term consumption of tomatoes and their products can effectively prevent cancer [8].
06
The application and development trend of tomato extracts in functional foods in China
(1) Support technological innovation and enhance independent research and development capabilities; Strengthen the application of high-tech in the production of tomato functional food. Guide scientific research institutions and enterprises to strengthen the research and development of new technologies and equipment, and improve processing equipment and processes. Encourage enterprises to increase investment in scientific research, support their participation in national science and technology support programs and industry science and technology projects, and enhance their independent research and development capabilities. Key efforts will be made to strengthen the research and development of equipment for pressing, evaporation, separation, purification, drying, and packaging, establish scientific research projects, and further promote the integration of industry, academia, and research. Using modern high and new technologies, such as membrane separation technology, supercritical fluid extraction technology, microcapsule technology, biotechnology, ultra-fine grinding technology, aseptic packaging technology, molecular distillation technology, modern analytical detection technology, drying technology (freeze drying, spray drying and sublimation drying), etc., extract effective ingredients from raw materials, remove harmful ingredients, and then use various effective ingredients as raw materials, determine reasonable processing technology according to different scientific formulas and product requirements, carry out scientific preparation, restructuring, seasoning and other processing, to produce a series of scientific, nutritious, healthy and convenient tomato functional foods. (2) Strengthen industry guidance and improve industry self-discipline. Taking the transfer of industries between regions as an opportunity, adjust the industrial guidance catalog, strengthen the responsibility of local governments, prevent blind expansion of production capacity, and eliminate outdated production capacity. Give full play to the guiding role of industry associations, strengthen industry self-discipline, and avoid blind competition among enterprises. Strengthen public information services and timely collect and release international market information. At the same time, provide guidance and services for enterprises to respond to international trade disputes. (3) Strengthen base construction, ensure raw material supply, and attach importance to research on basic functional food ingredients. Vigorously cultivate new varieties of processing fruits, strengthen the introduction, transformation, and promotion of tomato varieties, build large-scale and standardized high-quality processing fruit and vegetable production bases, and scientifically and reasonably adjust the regional layout of China's fruit and vegetable industry. Guide farmers in advantageous production areas to develop various types of professional cooperatives, engage in mutual assistance and cooperation in production, purchase and sales, and improve the level of production organization. Promote high-yield and stable yield technologies, conduct training on planting techniques, and ensure the quality of raw materials. Encourage buyers, processing enterprises, and farmers to sign orders, establish effective interest linkage mechanisms, and strengthen production and sales coordination. Further research and development of new tomato functional foods, comprehensive basic application research on tomatoes, not only to study the functional factors, but also to study the process technology for separating and stabilizing active substances, including how to remove toxic substances from tomato raw materials. (4) Adjust tax policies and implement a diversified market strategy. Increase tax incentives for export enterprises, adjust the export tax rebate rate for tomato products, and reduce cost pressure on enterprises. Accelerate the development of emerging markets, while consolidating the European and American markets, focus on exploring markets in Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East. Fruit and vegetable processing enterprises not only focus on foreign markets, but also accelerate the research and development of products that meet domestic consumer needs, actively explore broad domestic market space, balance international market risks, and achieve diversified operations. (5) Carry out interdisciplinary basic research and develop innovative tomato products, and promote the diversification of tomato deep processing products. The active ingredients in tomato functional foods have a regulatory effect on human physiology, so the research on tomato functional foods is related to various disciplines such as physiology, biochemistry, nutrition, and traditional Chinese medicine. The basic research on the application of tomato functional foods should be an interdisciplinary approach. By applying knowledge from multiple disciplines, using modern scientific instruments and experimental methods, the efficacy and stability of functional factors of tomato functional foods should be studied at the molecular, cellular, organ and other biological levels, in order to develop tomato functional foods with intellectual property rights. With the advancement of biological science and food processing technology, the processing and application of tomatoes in functional foods in China are becoming more refined, the formula is more scientific, the functions are clearer, the effects are more significant, and the consumption is more convenient. According to relevant departments, the consumption of functional foods in China was approximately 40 billion yuan in 2000. In addition to the currently popular oral liquids, capsules, beverages, granules, and powders, there are also some new forms of functional foods, such as baked goods, puffed foods, and extruded foods, which have also been launched. Functional foods will develop in a diversified direction. (6) Vigorously developing tomato products with third-generation functional food properties At present, most of the functional foods in our country are based on dietary therapy, generally using traditional Chinese medicine with multiple medicinal and edible ingredients. Its benefits have been proven to be effective through extensive practice by predecessors. If we further develop third-generation functional tomato processed foods with clear dose-response and structure-activity based on modern functional food research, we can participate in international competition. People are increasingly valuing food quality, and the demand for third-generation functional foods with clear functional factors is bound to increase. Therefore, it is urgent to develop third-generation functional tomato foods and promote the upgrading and replacement of functional foods. 07
The problems of functional foods in China
At present, although functional foods in China have developed rapidly, the problems that exist are worrying, mainly in the following aspects: (1) Insufficient basic research and low technological content Functional food is a comprehensive industry that requires close cooperation from various departments. From the perspective of disciplinary development, functional food is a comprehensive discipline that requires interdisciplinary collaboration. Most of the "food science" majors in China are set up in light industry and agricultural colleges, and their research focuses on scientific issues in food processing, with little involvement in the study of the relationship between food and human health, and little involvement in the functional issues of food. The main focus of research in pharmaceutical colleges is on studying "natural drugs", with little involvement in "functional foods". (2) Severe low-level repetition phenomenon We have set a relatively low approval threshold for functional foods. If we set a high approval threshold, a large number of products will inevitably be eliminated, which will to some extent affect the development of the functional food industry. Japan has handled this issue well. They separate "functional food" and "healthy food" and manage them under different regulations. They set a high approval threshold for "functional foods". As mentioned earlier, functional foods in Japan must be third-generation products, with natural ingredients as their functional factors, using traditional food forms, and as part of their daily diet. Therefore, since its legislation in 1991, Japan has only approved over 100 functional foods. But they set a lower threshold for reviewing "healthy foods" that are beneficial to health. This provides a way out for a large number of health products to enter the market. In recent years, China has gradually raised the threshold for review, but there are still problems such as insufficient product development efforts and serious low-level duplication. According to statistics, over 3000 functional foods approved by the Ministry of Health mainly focus on immune regulation, blood lipid regulation, and anti fatigue, accounting for about 60% of the total functions. Such a concentration of product functions not only makes market sales difficult, but also makes it difficult to achieve good economic benefits. (3) Mainly using non-traditional food forms with higher prices Japan stipulates that functional foods (specific health foods) can only be carried by food, while functional foods in China often use non-traditional forms such as tablets and capsules, which are detached from people's daily lives and have high prices, making consumers hesitant. (4) Difficulty in supervision and management, and chaotic market At present, the focus of functional food management in China is on the approval of functional food formulas, ensuring that product formulas are non-toxic, have authentic functions, unclear functional factors, and unclear mechanisms of action. Once falsified, it is difficult to identify, which poses significant difficulties for product supervision and management. (5) Lack of integrity and exaggeration of product efficacy Some functional food manufacturers or distributors exaggerate the efficacy of functional food without authorization, mislead consumers, cause serious adverse effects on society, and lose consumer trust. (6) Vicious competition Some unscrupulous merchants, in order to profit, resort to various means to suppress or even sabotage their competitors, maliciously attacking them; Furthermore, some local governments, in order to achieve political success, adopt local protectionism, undermine the market mechanism of free competition, cause market unfairness, and artificially hinder the healthy and sustainable development of the health food market.
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2024-04-15
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