In Japan over the past two decades, a number of food substances' potential for disease risk reduction rather than simply for health maintenance have been studied for their body-modulating functions. Some of these substances have already been applied to the industrialization of functional foods in terms of 'foods for specified health use' (FOSHU). More than 300 items of FOSHU were available as of August 2002-these include foods to improve gastrointestinal conditions, foods to enhance mineral absorption, and foods for people with a high blood glucose or cholesterol levels or hypertension. These FOSHU products are becoming popular in Japan and now form a market of several billion dollars.
Research and development of new types of functional foods are also progressing. One example is progress in the studies of antioxidative food factors. Since the age-related diseases, such as cancer, could be correlated with oxidative stresses, antioxidative food factors may be beneficial for prevention of those diseases. Another example is progress in the studies on immunomodulatory food factors. Immunomodulatory food is strongly required because the number of patients with allergies is rapidly increasing in Japan. Antioxidative and immunomodulatory food substances have been discovered in various agricultural products. The importance of evaluating absorption/modification of the food factors in the intestine is also being recognized.
Thus, the studies of functional foods in Japan are still progressing from a wide variety of viewpoints. The discovery of functional substances from agricultural products will enhance the production of more FOSHU with novel functions.