Introduction:

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates. These words hold great significance in our current world, where we often consume food without considering its impact on our bodies. We tend to eat high-fat, high-sodium diets, but the trends are changing with the emergence of “functional foods” and “smart proteins,” two important areas in nutrition and biotechnology.

Functional Food:

Functional foods or “nutraceuticals,” “medical foods,” or “designer foods.” Iodized salt, vitamin A and D fortified milk, yogurt, folic acid enriched bread, tomatoes, broccoli, soy products, blueberries, cranberries, garlic, wheat bran, and oats are some examples.

The term “functional food” was originated by Japanese scientists in the 1970s and was introduced to the European scientific community in the 1980s

. Functional food can be defined as any healthy food that resembles conventional foods which is consumed as part of a regular diet, and is claimed to have physiological benefits such as health promotion or disease prevention beyond the basic function of supplying nutrients.

Smart Protein:

Smart protein or alternative protein, refers to food products derived from plant proteins, cell-cultured meat (CCM) processes, insects, and microbial fermentation. These products can certainly substitute the consumption of animal-derived meat, eggs, and dairy.

Proteins are extracted from plant sources, combined with water, spices, fibers, and oils, and texturized to create the familiar flavors and chewy texture of regular meat.

Plant-based burgers, fillets, kebabs, and steaks taste, cook, and smell just like their regular counterparts. Blue Tribe Foods, Tata Consumer Products, Plantmade, and Wakao Foods are some companies in India that are making significant progress with their plant-based meat innovations.

Functional Food and Smart Protein Role in India:

At the time of independence, the primary focus was on increasing food production to feed the population. After achieving this, the focus shifted towards improving the quality and composition of food, particularly the protein quality, followed by attention to caloric intake. In recent years, there has been a growing body of scientific data exhibiting that diet plays a significant role in diseases.

The use of nutraceuticals in daily diets can be seen as a way to reduce skyrocketed healthcare costs, contributing not only to a longer lifespan but, more importantly, to a longer health span.

India has enormous crop biodiversity, with crops such as pulses, millets, and hemp offering great promise to diversify raw materials for the global smart protein sector. Plant-based and cultivated meat can be prepared from a wide variety of high-value crops and will support the growth of a more biodiverse and resilient food supply.

Conclusion:

Both functional food and smart protein hold great promise for enhancing health and nutrition. By combining both, we can offer significant health benefits and improve overall health.

Ananay Magotra

University/College name : Universty of Petroleum and Energy Studies , Dehradun