title: Food safety and functional foods in the European Union: obesity as a paradigmatic example for novel food development.
abstract: Since 1997, the European Union has undergone deep changes in the scientific assessment of food-related problems. Among the immediate challenges in the near future are the scientific and technological developments and regulatory measures for the so-called "functional foods," which can positively affect the health and well- being of consumers. Obesity, whose genetic and molecular basis are increasingly understood, is now foreseen as one of the key targets for novel functional foods developments, and offers a paradigmatic example of the complexity of a biological system as a target to be controlled.
authors.affiliation: Laboratori de Biologia Molecular, Nutrició i Biotecnologia, Departament de Biologia Fonamental i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Cra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
authors.forename: Andreu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palou
authors.forename: Catalina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Picó
authors.forename: M Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bonet
mesh_terms: D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005062:European Union; D005524:Food Technology / Q000639:trends*; D058870:Food, Organic; D006801:Humans; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*