A China-ASEAN seminar on "functional food," sponsored by China's
Ministry of Science and Technology, was held in Beijing on Tuesday.
Specialists from Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
other ASEAN nations gathered here with Chinese agricultural and
food experts to discuss the potential of functional food and the
impact that functional food have on human health.
Modern science and technology have given new recognition to the
function of food and to nutritional ingredients, according to the
seminar.
This represents an achievement in that there is now a new awareness
of how food can be used to improve the quality of life, said the
specialists.
Faced with health problems such as obesity and hyperlipidemia
brought on by today's lifestyle, it has become fashionable to
address problems related to physiological adjustment through the
use of functional food, said the participants.
China has a traditional food culture, according to Chinese food
specialist. In ancient China there was already the concept of "food
therapy."
Yao Aixing, an official with the Science Ministry, said China has
already set up its functional food industry. Especially since the
implementation of the reform and opening-up policy, the Chinese
government has attached great importance to the development of the
functional food industry.
In
today's modern world, the demand for functional food has greatly
increased, according to the meeting.
(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2002)
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