Health food

Definition and categories

 

• Definition

1. Has specific health function or supply vitamins and (or) minerals
2. Suitable for specific groups of people
3. Regulates body function, but do not  aim to treat diseases
4. Has no acute, sub-acute or chronic health effect to human body
5. Different from general(common) foods or medicines

《GB 16740-2014 Health Food》

 

Health food in different countries

China: Health Food

EU: Food Supplement

USA: Dietary Supplement

Canada: Natural Health Product

Australia: Complementary Medicines

Korea: Health Functional Food

Japan: Food with Health Claims (FHC)

 

• Classification

I. Nutrition supplement:

Food that provides vitamins and (or) minerals but without providing energy or any active ingredients.

II. Functional health food:

Food that labeled with health function and claims to have physiological effect on the human body. Till now 27 health functions for functional health food is proved in China.