Functional Foods and Anti-aging: Types and Functions of Functional Fresh Foods

The systems that allow functional claims on foods include Foods for Specified Health Uses, Foods with Nutrient Function Claims, and Foods with Function Claims. The system of Foods with Function Claims was implemented in April 2015. It is unique in that it applies not only to processed foods and supplements, but also to agricultural, forestry, and fishery products (fresh foods). It is the responsibility of the business operator, not the government, to ensure the safety and functionality of the products. It is a notification system, and the information reported is made public on the Consumer Affairs Agency’s website before the product goes on sale [1]. The system allows for claims such as “specific body part expressions” and “evaluations based on subjective indicators.” One major difference from Foods for Specified Health Uses is that the method of analyzing functional components (functional ingredients) must be disclosed. The system that allows fresh foods and other agricultural, forestry, and fishery products to be labeled with functional claims is rare worldwide and is currently attracting attention from various Asian countries, with discussions on how to coordinate with each country’s system. In order to make a notification, it is necessary to ensure the safety of the food, disclose the method of analyzing the functional ingredients, clarify the scientific basis through clinical trials or research reviews, consider the mechanism of action of the functional ingredients, provide experience of eating the food or results of safety tests, and ensure that the recommended daily intake is a normally consumable amount. However, it is often difficult for agricultural operators and others to establish the scientific basis and mechanism of action. Therefore, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization has published 17 types of research reviews and examples of mechanisms of action of functional ingredients that can be freely used for notifications for fresh foods and other products [2]. Currently, about half of the notifications for fresh foods are utilizing this research review. The targets of the functionality of the Foods with Function Claims that are on sale are body fat, stomach condition, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, vascular flexibility, eyes, discomfort in eyes and nose, skin, muscles, urination, swelling, bones, knees, peripheral body temperature, sleep, physical fatigue, mental stress, cognitive function, uric acid, liver, oral care, immune function, and promotion of mineral absorption. In addition, as of July 7, 2022, 150 items of fresh foods have been notified and accepted, including vegetables, fruits, soybeans, mushrooms, meat, fish, rice, barley, and nuts, and are on sale (Table 107.1).