Specialists from Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and other ASEAN nations gathered here with Chinese agricultural and food experts to discuss the potential of functional food and the impact that functional food have on human health.

Modern science and technology have given new recognition to the function of food and to nutritional ingredients, according to the seminar.

This represents an achievement in that there is now a new awareness of how food can be used to improve the quality of life, said the specialists.

Faced with health problems such as obesity and hyperlipidemia brought on by today's lifestyle, it has become fashionable to address problems related to physiological adjustment through the use of functional food, said the participants.

China has a traditional food culture, according to Chinese food specialist. In ancient China there was already the concept of "food therapy."

Yao Aixing, an official with the Science Ministry, said China has already set up its functional food industry. Especially since the implementation of the reform and opening-up policy, the Chinese government has attached great importance to the development of the functional food industry.

In today's modern world, the demand for functional food has greatly increased, according to the meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2002)