Resumen

ALARCON MANGINI, Jorge L y ALARCON MENENDEZ, Pedro. Nutrientes funcionales, aparato digestivo y beneficios potenciales para el niño. Rev. gastroenterol. Perú, ene./mar. 2002, vol.22, no.1, p.69-73. ISSN 1022-5129.

Widespread interest in the possibility that selected foods containing specifically physiologically active components might promote health has resulted in the coining of the term Functional Food. Recent studies have shown that modified foods or selected ingredients may provide health benefits beyond the nutrients they contain. Indeed, Functional Foods are nutrients that have specific health benefits. Benefits touted bythese foods are known to prevent certain diseases, promote health or both; and by that promoting a state of well?being and better health; reducing the risk of disease. The gastrointestinal tract is an obvious target for the development of Functional Foods, acting as it does as the interface between diet and the metabolic events, which sustain life. The American Dietetic Association recommends cautious evaluation of the clinical efficacy of individual nutrientslingredients before recommending their use to promote a specific health outcome. Identification of sensitive and reliable biomarkers will be key to adequate assessment of the true effect of foods and their components.

Palabras llave: Functional food; Disease risk; Prevention.