University of Missouri – Columbia (MU)
My work’s focus has been Functional Foods, also known as nutraceuticals, for the last decade. These foods provide more than basic nutrition and contain substances or live microorganisms that have potential health-enhancing or disease-preventing value. These foods play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing the risk factors of various diseases. The global market for functional foods is expanding, projected to reach a value of at least 91 billion USD soon. However, extensive research needs to be done to determine the potential health benefits for the proper application of these foods to improve health state and combat chronic disease progression. The research and products also need to be effectively and efficiently translated to contribute to WHO and FAO development goals.