Despite the growing body of evidence supporting the efficacy of functional ingredients, questions about the boundary between fortified foods and pharmaceuticals persist. Steele insists that manufacturers should position their foods and beverages “as healthy but not linked to a particular disease state. Focusing on treating or mitigating a disease state is when products cross the line from being a food to a drug. And this tends to be when an issue arises and the FDA steps in.”

It is wiser to stick with generalized — yet substantiated — structure/function claims that describe the relationship between an ingredient and its effect on a normal structure or function of the human body. Again, this is an area where collaboration with suppliers pays dividends.

 “True collaboration,” Steele said, is “when dairy processors and ingredients suppliers work hand-in-hand. We know our ingredients intimately and processors know their products intimately. Together we can ensure that end products not only taste great but deliver the promised functional benefits throughout their shelf life.”