Complementary nutrition

Course Title: Human nutrition

Course Code: BIO 402

Submitted by:
Tasnim islam Prianka
Roll No: 19 BIO 019
Session: 2021- 22
Year: 4th

Submitted To:
Ziasmin Keya
Lecturer
Department of Biochemistry
and Biotechnology
University of Barishal
 Complementary nutrition
Growing baby can no longer get enough iron, zinc and energy from breastmilk or formula
alone. So, they need complementary nutrition for their better growth. It is important that the
first foods we give our baby are rich in iron. This includes cereals with added iron (e.g. baby
rice cereal) and cooked and pureed meat, poultry, fish, tofu and legumes.

After this, begin adding a range of fruit, vegetables, grains/cereals and dairy foods (e.g.
yoghurt, cheese and custard) in any order that suit us and our baby. [1]

Functional foods:
The definition of functional foods as foods that contain, in addition to nutrients, other
components that may be beneficial to health. A functional food is a food claimed to have an
additional function by adding new ingredients or more of existing ingredients. Functional
foods may help to promote wellness, they can’t lead to poor eating habits. Functional foods
also reduce the risk of diseases or reduce any health condition.
There are currently four categories of claims that food manufacturers can use on labels to
communicate health in- formation to consumers. These categories include: nutrient content
claims, structure/function claims, health claims and qualified health claims.

Examples For Some of The Functional Foods:

 Orange Juice is fortified with calcium to increase bone health and reduce
osteoporosis. Orange juice is said to be modified functional food as it is lack of
calcium naturally.
 Oatmeal is also said to be natural functional food, because it contains soluble fiber
that can help lower cholesterol levels.
 Milk is also comes under functional food as it is complete protein and also contains
useful fats, vitamins, minerals.
 Olive oil contains rich levels of monounsaturated fatty acids and is also a good source
of phytochemicals including polyphenolic compounds.
 Cereals like wheat flour is fortified with folic acid, iron and vitamin B12, to reduce
anemia and increase blood formation. [2]

Functional Foods are normally classified as follow:

1. Bodybuilding Foods
2. Energy Yielding Foods (carbohydrates)
3. Protein Rich Foods
4. Protective Foods (fruits and vegetables)
Category of Functional Foods with Examples:
 FUNCTIONAL FOODS EXAMPLES

1. Modified Foods Iodised salt

•Enriched foods Folate enriched foods (breads)
•Enhanced foods Energy bars, yogurt

2. Conventional Foods Whole grains. nuts, beans

3. Medicinal Foods PKU formula foods, fatty fish, berries, mushrooms

4. Dietary Use Foods Infant foods, weight loss foods, gluten-free 7 lactose-free foods.

Claims for functional foods:

Functional foods are foods that claim to improve wellbeing or health. 1 The health claim may
be implicit (“rich in vitamin C”), or vague (“strengthens the body's defence system”), but
invariably the product is presented with the suggestion of a benefit. Many functional foods
contain added vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients. Some of these added nutrients
indeed promote health: folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects, table salt with
potassium reduces blood pressure, and polyunsaturated fatty acids reduce the risk of heart
disease. But other claims are more dubious—for example, that zinc lozenges protect against
colds or that drinks rich in vitamin C protect against cardiovascular disease.

There are 2 types of health claims on foods:

 function claims (including nutrient function claims)

 disease risk reduction claims (including therapeutic claims)

Nutrient function claims are a type of function claims. They are statements about the roles of
energy or nutrients that are essential for good health or normal growth and development. For
example, Vitamin D helps build strong bones and teeth.
Disease risk reduction claims are statements that link a food to a lower risk of developing a
disease or condition. They frame the claim in the context of the total diet. For example,
A healthy diet rich in a variety of vegetables and fruit may help reduce the risk of some types
of cancer. [3]
Strategies for functional food use:
Food-based strategies, such as home gardening, small-animal husbandry, poultry, and social
marketing, lead to better food production, food consumption, and overall food security.
A holistic approach to rationalize functional food development was here proposed, i.e., the
“Functional Food Development Cycle”. First regulation and definitions were reviewed. The
technological approaches for functional food design were then described, followed by the
efficacy evaluation ones. Merging the technological and the evaluation viewpoints, by
identifying the best compromise between quality and functionality, is pivotal to develop
effective functional foods. Finally, delivering functional food on the market requires
dedicated communication strategies. These in turn can provide information about consumer
needs, thus representing an input for regulatory bodies to drive the development of functional
food, feeding it within an iterative and virtuous holistic cycle.
Food additives and preservatives:
Food additives are chemicals added to foods to keep them fresh or to enhance their colour,
flavour or texture. They may include food colourings (such as tartrazine or cochineal),
flavour enhancers (such as MSG) or a range of preservatives. Food preservatives are
classified into two main groups: antioxidants and antimicrobials. Antioxidants
are compounds that delay or prevent the deterioration of foods by oxidative mechanisms.
Antimicrobial agents inhibit the growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms in food.

Food preservative

chemical agent mechanism of action

Antioxidants

ascorbic acid oxygen scavenger

butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) free radical scavenger

butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) free radical scavenger

citric acid enzyme inhibitor/metal chelator

sulfites enzyme inhibitor/oxygen scavenger

tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) free radical scavenger

tocopherols free radical scavenger

Antimicrobials are most often used with other preservation techniques, such as refrigeration,
in order to inhibit the growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. Sodium chloride
(NaCl), or common salt, is probably the oldest known antimicrobial agent. Organic acids,
including acetic, benzoic, propionic, and sorbic acids, are used against microorganisms in
products with a low pH. Nitrates and nitrites are used to inhibit the bacterium Clostridium
botulinum in cured meat products (e.g., ham and bacon). Sulfur dioxide and sulfites are used
to control the growth of spoilage microorganisms in dried fruits, fruit juices, and wines. Nisin
and natamycin are preservatives produced by microorganisms. Nisin inhibits the growth of
some bacteria, while natamycin is active against molds and yeasts. [4]

Natural toxins in food:

There are more than 20,000 natural bioactive compounds that are toxic to humans covering a
wide range of modes of action. Some show low acute toxicity like the glycoalkaloids in
potato or isoflavones in clover, medium toxicity as linamarin in cassava and coniin in
poisonous hemlock, while some are very toxic like ricin in castor beans and the cyanotoxin
saxitoxin produced by blue-green algae. We wisely avoid death cap mushroom, castor beans,
and poison hemlock. Drinking water from a lake tainted green by cyanobacteria is a no-go.
We will even be careful with green potatos, non-cooked chickpeas, beans and cassava due to
their contents of glycoalkaloids, lectins and cyanogenic glycosides.
In humans, the clinical signs of acute cyanide intoxication can include: rapid respiration, drop
in blood pressure, dizziness, headache, stomach pains, vomiting, diarrhoea, mental confusion,
cyanosis with twitching and convulsions followed by terminal coma. Death due to cyanide
poisoning can occur when the cyanide level exceeds the limit an individual is able to
detoxify. [5]

Dietary supplements:
Vitamins and minerals:
Vitamins are substances that our bodies need to develop and function normally. Vitamins and
minerals are two of the main types of nutrients that your body needs to survive and stay
healthy. Vitamins help your body grow and work the way it should. There are 13 essential
vitamins — vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin,
pantothenic acid, biotin, B6, B12, and folate).
Vitamins have different jobs to help keep the body working properly. Some vitamins help
resist infections and keep our nerves healthy, while others may help our body get energy from
food or help our blood clot properly. By following the dietary guidelines, we will get enough
of most of these vitamins from food.
Like vitamins, minerals also help our body function. Minerals are elements that our bodies
need to function that can be found on the earth and in foods. Some minerals, like iodine and
fluoride, are only needed in very small quantities. Others, such as calcium, magnesium, and
potassium, are needed in larger amounts. As with vitamins, if we eat a varied diet, we will
probably get enough of most minerals.
Most people should get all the nutrients they need by having a varied and balanced diet,
although some people may need to take extra supplements. [6]
 Fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E and K) are mainly found in:
animal fats, vegetable oils, dairy foods, liver, oily fish.
While your body needs these vitamins to work properly, you don't need to eat foods
containing them every day.

Water-soluble vitamins (vitamin C, the B vitamins and folic acid) are mainly found in: fruit
and vegetables, grains, milk and dairy foods. These vitamins aren't stored in the body, so you
need to have them more frequently. If you have more than you need, your body gets rid of the
extra vitamins when you urinate.
Minerals include calcium and iron amongst many others and are found in:

Meat, cereals, fish, milk and dairy foods, fruit and vegetables, nuts.
Minerals are necessary for 3 main reasons:

 building strong bones and teeth

 controlling body fluids inside and outside cells
 turning the food we eat into energy
Natural health products:
Natural health products (NHPs) are naturally occurring substances that are used to restore or
maintain good health. They are often made from plants, but can also be made from animals,
microorganisms and marine sources. The benefits of using natural health products:
 Skin-friendly. The ingredients used in organic skincare meet the same standards as organic
food. ...
 Healthier for us.
 Environment-friendly
 Recyclable or biodegradable packaging.
 Skincare that is Effective and Affordable.

‘Natural health products’ is a term used to describe herbs and other supplements made from
natural sources that are sold to prevent sickness or promote health. [7] There are many
different types, including: vitamins and minerals; herbal remedies; homeopathic medicines;
traditional medicines (traditional Chinese medicine, traditional East Indian [Ayurvedic]
medicine, etc); probiotics; and amino acids and essential fatty acids.
References:

[1] “Introducing complementary foods: Feeding from around 6 months,” Creative Commons, vol. 78,
no. 8, p. 412, 2019.

[2] C. F. kristi M. Crowe, “Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Functional Foods,”
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics home, 2013.

[3] H. Staff, “Natural Health Products (Herbal Medicines and Natural Products),”
myhealth.alberta.ca, 2022.

[4] P. M. Davidson, “Preservatives,” britannica, 2022.

[5] “WHAT ARE THE MAIN BENEFITS OF USING NATURAL PRODUCTS?,” vevera, 2022.

[6] “Vitamins and minerals,” NHS Inform, health information you can trust., 2020.

[7] R. Ajmera, “What Are Functional Foods? All You Need to Know,” healthline, 2020.