Combining the concepts of medicine and food in the same word is dangerous! For Anthony Fardet (University of Clermont-Auvergne/Inrae), researcher in preventive nutrition, this is a semantic drift potentially harmful to our health. "We are clearly within these reductionist concepts which have in no way proven their effects, where we manipulate foods in order to then attribute virtues to them on the basis of one or a few of their constituents, in other words, by making you believe that if part of the whole is good, the whole is good, when this is often not true. »
What are these products qualified as nutraceuticals? For example, margarine to which phytosterols have been added: it is supposed to reduce the level of bad cholesterol. Or, yogurts and so-called “probiotic” drinks, which are said to promote good intestinal transit. Or even eggs or milk enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, under which the functioning of the heart and arteries would be improved. Their designation of "nutraceutical", a contraction of the words food and medicine, is a concept directly derived from marketing.
Today there is much less of this kind of health promise on packaging: more restrictive regulations have been put in place. In particular, the European Food Safety Authority (Efsa) has cleaned up some 4,600 health claims (including around 1,500 concerning plant substances) which have been sent to it by the Member States. All those relating to micro-organisms (like probiotics) were rejected, as were most of those relating to the antioxidant properties of substances or foodstuffs. Only 229 generic health claims have been authorized, and most relate to vitamins or minerals.
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Last December, the Cochrane Association summarized published data on the potential benefits of foods fortified with these micronutrients.
His investigation covers some forty studies carried out mainly in children, a large proportion of which were financed by agri-food industries – “what is called 'funding bias'”, comments Anthony Fardet. The foodstuffs tested range from staple foods (rice and flour) to spreads and biscuits, as well as beverages and dairy products. Overall, the studies conclude on the benefits of multiple micronutrient enrichment (zinc, iron, selenium, vitamins A, B, C and E) with respect to anemia and certain deficiencies. But for Anthony Fardet, “the underlying idea can be misleading. This is a problematic message vis-à-vis consumers who could understand: “Continue to eat poorly, we will correct your deficits in minerals and vitamins by enriching your food.” While we should ask ourselves why there are deficits, turn away from “junk food” and return to a healthy and natural diet, with more plants and diversity, and less ultra-processed foods. Then you won't really need functional foods enriched with isolated and supposedly protective compounds anymore”.
