''NUTRACEUTICALS''

Nutraceuticals is an umbrella term used to describe any product derived from food sources with additional health benefits beyond the basic nutritional value found in foods.

The term "nutraceutical" is a combination of the words "nutrient," which refers to a nourishing food component, and "pharmaceutical," which refers to a medical drug. Stephen De Felice, the founder and chairman of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine, an American organization based in Cranford, New Jersey, coined the name in 1989.

According to the saying by a Greek physician Hippocrates (known as the father of medicine), "let food be your medicine," the philosophy behind nutraceuticals is to focus on prevention. One of the most important areas of research is their role in human nutrition, which has far-reaching implications for consumers, healthcare providers, regulators, food producers, and distributors.

NUTRACEUTICAL MARKET IN INDIA

India is one of the few countries that has no set criteria for classifying dietary supplements as either diet or medicine. Nutraceuticals are products that improve or prevent disease that are not as strictly regulated as the bulk pharmaceutical industry. The facility is being used by Indian pharmaceutical companies to market a variety of nutraceuticals aimed at various segments of society. The number of products 'enriched' with vitamins and other health-related items entering the market is growing on a daily basis. The preference in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for the discovery and production of nutraceuticals over pharmaceuticals is well documented.

Nutraceuticals are gaining popularity due to their ability to treat a variety of diseases. Vitamins, minerals, and nutrients account for roughly 80% of the market, while antioxidants and anti-aging products account for 10%. Herbal extracts occupy the remaining segments.

CLASSIFICATION OF NUTRACEUTICALS

Nutraceuticals can be divided into two types based on their market availability:

1.Traditional nutraceuticals

2. Non-traditional nutraceuticals.

Traditional nutraceuticals

Traditional nutraceuticals are another term for functional foods. They are consumed as part of a regular diet in order to obtain direct benefits.

Non-traditional nutraceuticals

Non-traditional nutraceuticals are products or plant materials that have been artificially prepared, such as biotechnologically engineered foods, add-on ingredients, or agricultural breeding. Cereals fortified with vitamins and minerals, flour fortified with folic acid, and orange juice fortified with calcium are used to boost the value of these products.

POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS

Nutraceuticals have sparked considerable interest in recent years due to their potential nutritional, safety, and therapeutic effects. These compounds may play a role in a variety of biological processes, including antioxidant defences, cell proliferation, gene expression, and mitochondrial integrity.

As a result, nutraceuticals can be used to improve health, prevent chronic diseases, delay the ageing process and thus increase life expectancy, or simply to support the body's functions and integrity. These products are regarded as healthy sources for the prevention of life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, renal and gastrointestinal disorders, and various infections.