**Abstract**

Functional food is a whole ingredient or a part of food that used as food for specific therapeutic purposes. It is divided into two wide categories: Conventional and modified functional foods. Conventional functional Foods are composed of natural or whole-food ingredients that provide functional substances while modified functional is food or food products in which add additional ingredients for specific health purposes. Plant-based food such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, cereals, nuts and beans contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phenolic compounds that play a functional role in the human body against chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular and GIT-related disease. Some other foods or food products like juices, dairy products, fortified eggs and seafood are composed of functional components. Fish contain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) that are played a functional role in heart health and brain development.

**Keywords:** functional food, conventional food, modified food, antioxidants, health

#### **1. Introduction**

Functional food is concerned with promoting health or protection from diseases [1]. The word functional food can also be used to describe traits that have been purposefully bred into established edible plants, such as purple or gold potatoes with lower anthocyanin or carotenoid content [2]. These foods are prepared for functional benefits and aid in reducing the risk of long term diseases beyond basic nutritional functions and can look like traditional food and be eaten as part of a daily diet [3].

The functional food sector, which includes the food, beverage, and supplement industries, is one of the many sectors of the food industry that has seen significant growth in recent years. The global demand for functional foods is expected to hit 176.7 billion dollars in 2013, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4%. The functional food sector will grow at a 6.9% CAGR, while the supplement sector will grow at a 3.8 percent CAGR, and the functional beverage sector will grow at a

10.8 percent CAGR [4]. This type of expansion is fueled not only by technological advancements and the introduction of new goods to meet the needs of healthconscious customers but also by health claims that cover a broad range of ailments. Consumer skepticism remains, owing to the fact that the advantages of using the goods can be difficult to discern. Any businesses may be deterred from launching their products if any of the functional food statements are scrutinized closely [5].

Functional foods contain a rich source of bioactive components. When these components are used in reliable, non-toxic, and defined quantities, so these provide a scientifically validated and recorded health benefit for the prevention, control, or treatment of chronic diseases" [6]. However, establishing a formal concept for these foods would help in their commercialization. The inclusion of bioactive compounds, which are biochemical molecules that promote health by physiological processes, improves the idea of functional foods. Functional Food Center (FFC) has advanced the functional food concept to provide clarification and a more detailed understanding of its context [7].

Health benefits are commonly associated with functional foods. Physical performance, psychological activity, organ or system function, emotional, mental, and curing chronic illness are the physiological benefits of functional foods or bioactive compounds [8].
