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functions and integrity of the body. They are considered to be healthy sources for
prevention of life threatening diseases such as diabetes, renal and gastrointestinal
disorders, as well as diverse infections.
A wide range of nutraceuticals have been shown to enforce vital roles in immune
status and vulnerability to certain disease states. They also reveal diseases adjusting
indications related to oxidative stress including allergy, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, eye conditions, Parkinson’s diseases and obesity
(Pandey et al. 2010).
2.2 Nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals refers to foods having a medicinal effect on health of human beings.
The word ‘nutraceuticals’ comprises of ‘Nutrients’ and ‘Pharmaceuticals’.
According to AAFCO 1996, ‘Nutrient’ means a feed constituent in a form and at a
level that will aid, sustain a life of human being or animal while ‘Nutraceutical’
means any non-toxic food constituent that has scientifically proven health benefits
together with prevention and treatment of diseases. Products isolated or purified
from food are sold in medicinal forms not usually associated with food. A nutraceutical has a functional benefit that provides protection against chronic diseases.
These nutraceuticals include food supplements, herbal products, probiotics and
prebiotics, and medical foods meant for prevention and treatment of diseases. Key
nutraceuticals possess multiple therapeutic effect hence attract more consumer
interest. Increased awareness towards preventive therapies and cumulative disposable income, promising pricing environment growth in pharma retail chain and rise
in healthcare spending are mainly responsible for the driving force increasing market demands for nutraceuticals.
2.2.1 History
The concept of Nutraceuticals went back as far as 3000 years ago. Hippocrates
(460–377 B.C) stated ‘let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food ’. In the
early 1900s the United States of America food manufacturers started adding
small quantity of iodine to salt to prevent goiter. The term nutraceuticals was
coined in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice who was the Chairman and Founder of the
Foundation for Innovation in Medicine, Cranford, New Jersey (Bieselkl 2001).
According to DeFelice, nutraceutical can be said to be “a food (or part of a food)
that provides medical or health benefits, including the prevention and/or treatment of a disease.” However, the term nutraceutical as commonly used in marketing has no regulatory definition (Zeisel 1999).
In England, Japan and other countries, nutraceuticals are already becoming
part of dietary landscape. Diet was first considered by Germany, France and
O. K. Nwosu and K. I. Ubaoji
functions and integrity of the body. They are considered to be healthy sources for
prevention of life threatening diseases such as diabetes, renal and gastrointestinal
disorders, as well as diverse infections.
A wide range of nutraceuticals have been shown to enforce vital roles in immune
status and vulnerability to certain disease states. They also reveal diseases adjusting
indications related to oxidative stress including allergy, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, eye conditions, Parkinson’s diseases and obesity
(Pandey et al. 2010).
2.2 Nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals refers to foods having a medicinal effect on health of human beings.
The word ‘nutraceuticals’ comprises of ‘Nutrients’ and ‘Pharmaceuticals’.
According to AAFCO 1996, ‘Nutrient’ means a feed constituent in a form and at a
level that will aid, sustain a life of human being or animal while ‘Nutraceutical’
means any non-toxic food constituent that has scientifically proven health benefits
together with prevention and treatment of diseases. Products isolated or purified
from food are sold in medicinal forms not usually associated with food. A nutraceutical has a functional benefit that provides protection against chronic diseases.
These nutraceuticals include food supplements, herbal products, probiotics and
prebiotics, and medical foods meant for prevention and treatment of diseases. Key
nutraceuticals possess multiple therapeutic effect hence attract more consumer
interest. Increased awareness towards preventive therapies and cumulative disposable income, promising pricing environment growth in pharma retail chain and rise
in healthcare spending are mainly responsible for the driving force increasing market demands for nutraceuticals.
2.2.1 History
The concept of Nutraceuticals went back as far as 3000 years ago. Hippocrates
(460–377 B.C) stated ‘let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food ’. In the
early 1900s the United States of America food manufacturers started adding
small quantity of iodine to salt to prevent goiter. The term nutraceuticals was
coined in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice who was the Chairman and Founder of the
Foundation for Innovation in Medicine, Cranford, New Jersey (Bieselkl 2001).
According to DeFelice, nutraceutical can be said to be “a food (or part of a food)
that provides medical or health benefits, including the prevention and/or treatment of a disease.” However, the term nutraceutical as commonly used in marketing has no regulatory definition (Zeisel 1999).
In England, Japan and other countries, nutraceuticals are already becoming
part of dietary landscape. Diet was first considered by Germany, France and
O. K. Nwosu and K. I. Ubaoji