According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases (CNCD) are the cause of death of 41 million people each year in the world, which is equivalent to 71% of all deaths. Numerous investigations in the area of health focus on the relationship between morbidity and metabolic risk factors related to eating habits and nutrition, such as high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, and hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia.
In the 1980s, the concept of “functional foods” emerged in Japan in order to control health costs generated by greater longevity of the population. In this way, they began to design foods that had a beneficial effect on health, improving quality of life. Although there is no single definition, “functional foods” are those that have been shown to have a beneficial effect on one or more specific functions of the body, in addition to their usual nutritional properties, in a way that improves health and well-being, reduces disease risk, or both.
It is important to note that they are not essential nor do they cure or prevent, by themselves, any disease. As we can see, its concept is very broad and includes a wide variety of foods that can be natural (antioxidants in red fruits), or processed, to which some component has been removed, added or substituted (use of inulin as a contribution of fiber and creaminess in low-fat ice creams, replacement of sugar by non-caloric sweeteners). Usually, the global trend in the development of this type of food is oriented towards digestive health, cardiovascular health and immune health. In Argentina, the National Ministry of Health has developed different programs, such as the “National Strategy for the Prevention and Control of NCDs”, “Healthy Argentina Plan” and the recent “National Program for Healthy Eating and Prevention of Obesity”.
The trend towards health is revolutionizing the food industry, forced to carry out various activities to be competitive. For example, the search for novel and/or alternative raw materials and ingredients (such as the use of food waste, the use of native plants and even insects), to use in the development of this type of food, and that also accompany the technological needs in the industry. In addition, and not least, they must meet the demands imposed by increasingly informed and demanding consumers. In other words, to meet their sensory expectations, offering attractive, tasty products, but which also provide that extra benefit for health and are available to everyone (since these products are generally more expensive).
All this supposes an adaptation and an effort on the part of all the actors of the agri-food sector to develop new functional foods. Technological innovation, scientific research, and the training of future professionals who can generate new knowledge are key to accompanying this challenge.
For this reason, UADE carries out several projects related to the development of healthy foods. One of them uses canary seed flour as a non-conventional raw material for the production of cookies. This cereal has a very good nutritional profile, providing, for example, a greater amount of protein compared to other cereals. It also does not contain gluten, which makes it interesting to incorporate it into foods suitable for coeliacs.
With a world population that is on the rise and with resources that are increasingly scarce, with an increase in non-communicable diseases, coupled with the fact that consumers are increasingly committed to their health, and to the environment and animal welfare As axes, it is of interest to look for new and different alternatives to prepare foods that address these issues.