Dinnar foods:

In a study released today, Scientia, an international management consulting firm, predicts an annual compound growth rate of seven percent through 2012, averaged across all segments of the industry. The rapid rise will bring global sales of functional foods to $195B�a 52 percent gain over 2006 sales of $128B.


Functional foods, sometimes called �medicinal foods� or �nutraceuticals,� are those fortified with naturally-occurring ingredients that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition.


Functional foods may include probiotics (microorganisms that provide health benefits), Omega 3 (fish oil) extracts, phytonutrients (substances found in plants such as soy beans, blueberries or grapes) or other natural substances. Some of these ingredients can reduce the risk of certain diseases or help manage chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. Others can enhance physical and athletic performance, memory, or cognitive performance.


The Scientia study was based on extensive interviews with scientists, clinicians, manufacturers and product developers, as well as on traditional market research. The predicted seven percent rate essentially continues the eight percent annual compound growth rate seen in the functional foods market between 2003-2006. It is nearly twice the four percent growth rate Scientia predicts for conventional foods and pharmaceuticals through 2012.