Essential Nutrients including Vitamins

Hippocrates, the Greek Physician is credited with linking Food with Human Health, Body & Mind, helping prevent illness and maintaining wellness. Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fat, Vitamins, Minerals, Fiber, and Water are all Nutrients for Human Sustenance.

In the early 1700s, Sailors were solely dependent on nonperishable foods like Bread & Meat during long voyages and often suffered from Scurvy, a deadly bleeding disorder.

The concept of Metabolism and the isolation of elemental Carbon, Nitrogen, Hydrogen & Oxygen, in Food preceded the discovery that Micronutrients were essential to life. The initial presumption of essential Micronutrients to be Amines led to these being termed Vitamins or Amines that are “Vita or Vital”. The discovery of Vitamin “A” and “B” & “C” thereafter, changed the way Physicians conceptualized Food.

Nutrients are of two types: Macro (Carbohydrates, Proteins & Fats) & Micro (Vitamins, Minerals). Development of Muscles, Bones & Eyesight, the Propagation of Cells, Energy Storage, and the Production of Hormones are some of the vital aspects Vitamins are associated with.

Nutritional Analysis is the Scientific Assessment of the Quantum and Nature of Nutrients present in a particular Food Sample. The FSSAI has Standardized & Established the Methods of Nutritional Analyses in India. It involves the Analysis of Food Components, Nutritional Value, Nutritional Authenticity finalization, and ascertaining the Composition of Food Supplements. Regulations require the Manufacturer to specify the Nutritional Value of the Foods on the Product Label in detail.

EFRAC conducts Food Nutrient Analysis across a wide range of Food matrices, helping Manufacturers decide on the nature & quantum of constituents required and cater to Regulatory Standards of Nutritional labeling as per FSSAI, IS, ISO, AOAC, DIN EN & APHA requirements.

Nutraceuticals & Functional Foods

Beginning with fortification of salt with iodine to prevent goitre in USA in early 1900’s, the “Nutraceutical” or “Functional Food” segment, is now one of the fastest growing product categories within the global food industry. Manufacturers have been cashing on by developing and integrating functionality into their products and marketing many as panacea for expanding Consumer Health & Wellness concerns.

Nutraceuticals are natural, bioactive chemical entities with health promoting, disease preventing or with general medicinal properties. Functional Foods, a sub-segment within Nutraceuticals are those that claim specific health benefits from specific ingredients. Nutraceuticals are generally
grouped into three Food Categories:

• Fortified with specific nutrients to prevent deficiency-based diseases
• Containing microorganisms or substances for promoting intestinal microorganisms
• Containing bioactive components or enzymes including those enhanced by Special Feeding or Genetic Engineering