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Considerable efforts have been exercised to influence the intestinal microbiota by dietary means in such a way that the health of host is beneficially affected. Consumer's belief that certain foods can exhibit health benefits has resulted in the coining of the term functional foods. Functional foods exist at the interface between food and drugs, therefore offers great potential for health improvement and prevention of diseases when ingested as part of a balanced diet. The purpose of this paper is to examine functional foods as self‐care and complementary medicine.

The paper explores various aspects of functional foods such as the reasons for consumer's inclination, health claims, formulation, regulation, and labeling.

Any food can be regarded as functional if it can be demonstrated to affect beneficially one or more target functions in the body or reduce disease risk besides basic nutrition. Health beneficial properties of functional foods suggest their application as self‐care and complementary medicine.

Ingestion of functional food may help in maintaining the intestinal microbiota and prevent disease risk beyond their basic nutritional needs.

Increasing awareness of functional foods would have many health benefits such as reducing the incidence of non communicable diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate consumer awareness and consumption of functional foods in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece.

A sample population of consumers was randomly selected outside popular supermarkets in the city of Thessaloniki (n=154). Trained interviewers conducted interviews and a questionnaire was completed by each participant. Socio‐demographic information and details of knowledge and consumption of functional foods were obtained. Data were analyzed using Stata.

The analysis of the data showed that only 33 per cent of the consumers were aware of the term “functional foods”. Interestingly, the proportion of the sample population that knew about foods with health promoting factors was over 95 per cent. The term “functional food” was unfamiliar to the sample population. Over 70 per cent of the consumers surveyed consumed such foods, unaware of the terminology.

This appears to be the first Greek study to examine consumer awareness and consumption of functional foods.

This study aimed to identify the quality consumers expect from functional food. This study investigated the quality dimensions and indicators female consumers expect in functional food.

This study used a quantitative approach. Data were collected through a survey using a self-administered questionnaire from 149 women aged 17 years and over in the Greater Jakarta area. Data analysis consists of three stages: exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis-structural equation modeling (CFA-SEM) and consumer expectation value analysis. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Lisrel software were used to assist the analysis.

The analysis results showed that women expect functional food products to fulfill the aspects of product presentation, product assurance, convenience, health benefits and safety and sensory characteristics. These five aspects are referred to as the expected quality dimensions. Twenty-one indicators can be used to measure the quality of functional food expected by women.

Other researchers can use this study to understand functional food female consumers' behavior. Furthermore, functional food companies can utilize it to measure consumers' expectations of their products' quality and performance.

This research is believed to be the first study to identify the dimensions of functional food quality expected by female consumers. Most existing research on the perceived quality of functional food measures functional food quality based on performance and ignored the differences in expectations between men and women.

This study has two main purposes. First, the effects of health anxiety and perceived social value on the intention to consume functional food were examined. Second, the role of health knowledge levels in these relationships was identified.

The sample consisted of 271 restaurant consumers on the European side of Istanbul between August and October 2021. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the research model.

Restaurant consumers revealed that health anxiety and perceived social value positively affect functional food consumption intentions. Moreover, health knowledge levels have a negative moderating effect on the relationship between health anxiety and functional food consumption intentions.

Thanks to the findings of this study, the roles of health anxiety, perceived social value and health knowledge in functional food consumption were determined, thus filling a vital literature gap.

The aim of this paper is to study the consumer perception of functional foods and to identify determinants of functional foods consumption in Slovakia.

The research is based on primary data obtained by conducting an online questionnaire survey in 2021 using the snowball sampling method (n = 1,138 Slovak respondents). By applying inferential and multivariate statistics, several segments of functional food consumers were identified.

Research identified three segments of functional food consumers in Slovakia differing in the agreement scores of the four dimensions of beliefs about functional foods. The “Skeptic” is the largest segment, comprising 52% of the sample. Consumers have higher agreement on the risk beliefs and lower agreement on the benefit, trend and interest beliefs. These consumers do not consume functional food regularly. The segment “Less interested”, comprising 35% of the sample, has average agreement scores, and consumers consume functional food occasionally or regularly. The “Enthusiastic” is the smallest segment, comprising only 12% of the sample. Consumers have high agreement on the benefits and interest beliefs and low agreement on the risk beliefs. Most consumers consume functional food regularly and are focusing on functional product features.

The results provide essential information for both the academic and commercial field. Obtained information can be used by producers of functional foods to better understand their customers as well as to improve their marketing strategies on the Slovak market.

To draw the frontiers of the functional food universe, to identify concepts that should be included in a broadly accepted functional food definition and to propose a definition.

Based on a review of the literature and the Delphi technique with a group of North American and European experts.

Four concepts were identified: the nature of food, health benefits, functions and regular consumption. Two dimensions, physiological effects and functional intensity, were developed to define the frontiers of the functional food universe and a definition is suggested.

A large number of definitions as well as great variations within definitions make it difficult to provide industry partners with robust information on market trends and market potential, or to appropriately protect consumers through legislation. This paper should contribute to the debate surrounding the type of food that should be considered a functional food and surrounding the lack of a common definition for functional foods.

This paper is the first one, to our knowledge, that attempts to conceptually define the frontiers of the functional food universe and to provide a definition of functional food which is not sensitive to cultural differences, can accommodate temporal variations and rely on previous knowledge (definition) as well as experts' opinions.

After the introduction of functional food term in 1980s, production and marketing of functional food in Japan, USA and European markets has developed rapidly. Compared to these developed countries, the market size of the functional food in Turkey is very limited. The purpose of this study is to explore reasons of limited development and marketing strategies regarding the size of expenditure, governmental legislation and consumer preferences and highlight the type of functional food products available at large retail chains of important suppliers in Turkey.

Description and exploration of market size and expenditure were determined by using Euromonitor International (2017). The factors influencing consumption and attitudes toward functional food purchasing were evaluated by studying literature research. The number and types of functional foods in the most important supermarket chains were determined to show the growth rate in Turkey. Products in the markets were determined based on the direct observation available, and functional foods sold in the markets were noted at the visits and tabulated. The type of functional food product, its category, the main benefit offer to the consumer and the brand and status of the food processing industry (national or not) were identified. Government legislation on special health claims for functional foods was stated.

Market size of Turkey per capita expenditure was approximately US$5.8m, which was very low, whereas that of Japan and USA was US$86.7m and 100.2m, respectively, in 2017. The variety of functional food products was at a very low level, and functional food market share was limited compared to powerful countries like Turkey. International companies had a higher market share than national companies. Danone with dairy functional foods was the biggest company in Turkey market. Literature studies showed that Turkish people have less knowledge about functional foods and need education. According to reviews, socio-demographic characteristics such as age, education, income levels, gender and prices were important indicators influence consumer awareness and consumption of functional foods. Consumer’s knowledge must be increased with their health benefits by education. Reviews showed that nearly 60 per cent of people did not have any information about functional food and women were more aware and the most active user group. Dairy products were the most preferred functional foods in Turkey. Because of limited awareness, there is a need for elucidating studies that are targeting potential consumers. Turkey did not have labeling system to claim foods functionality on packages and did not permit foods that contribute to health maintenance and/or recovery from disease, but Republic of Turkey Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock applies some laws and regulations.

This study provides market study and detailed research about marketing strategies and legislation of functional foods in Turkey. People have high demand to consume and there are big potentials of functional food marketing and opportunities for food industries. But to increase consumption and marketing size, it needs education of consumer, advertising and some adjustment of legislation by government.

This paper aims to explore the socio-cultural meanings of functional foods for Tunisian consumers and to understand how these meanings shape their preferences and practices in the particular context of a Middle-East and North African (MENA) region.

A constructivist perspective based on multi-qualitative methods was designed allowing data collection in a natural setting through focus groups interviews, individual in-depth interviews and projective techniques among Tunisian consumers.

Findings show the complexity and importance of conscious and unconscious non-health-related socio-cultural factors in the construction and acceptance of functional foods by the Tunisian consumer. Common sense knowledge, social environment and tradition shape the constructions and practices of functional foods. These factors may act as a shortcut to compensate for unhealthy behaviour and as a social marker to reflect trendiness and identity.

The findings are specific to the Tunisian setting and may be not transferable to other settings.

The role of information is central in functional food acceptance. Communication on health effects should consider not only the formal nutritional health benefit but also lay knowledge.

The findings of this research contribute in the government’s understanding of Tunisian’s constructions of health and well-being by suggesting that besides health motives, non-health-related factors such as lay knowledge, social influences and conspicuous consumption play an important role in functional foods choice.

This paper contributes to extend functional foods literature by exploring the complex interconnected conscious and unconscious socio-cultural constructions behind functional food choice. It contributes also to the understanding of the food consumer behaviour in the specific cultural context of the Arab-Muslim MENA region, an under investigated setting.

The desire for health and well-being is a strong driver in the food market. Scientific publications show that health is an important motive for both functional and organic food consumption. The aim of this study is to investigate whether functional and organic food consumers have the same understanding of health, and which health and well-being improving lifestyles are characteristic for them. Based on this, the authors identify dimensions for a wellness-orientated lifestyle model.

In order to measure the different well-being and health lifestyles, AIO dimensions were adapted to theoretical wellness concepts. The results of the conducted factor and multiple OLS regression analyses are based on the data of an online survey of 500 German consumers.

Consumers of functional food have a similar concept of health and well-being to organic consumers, but differ in certain aspects in their way of achieving this. The purchase of organic and functional food is driven by different lifestyles. Overall, the results confirm the link between organic food and an active lifestyle, as well as functional food and a passive lifestyle.

The paper contributes to the discussion of health in marketing and especially in the food industry. The results reveal which kinds of lifestyle food marketing should be considered in a target group specific product communication and positioning.

This study contributes to the understanding of consumer behaviour, especially in the organic and functional food segment. It highlights the importance of health for both food types and also important differences in the understanding of wellness. Moreover, the results reveal first dimensions for a wellness-orientated lifestyle approach – especially for the food market.

There is unprecedented interest by consumers to improve health and wellness through dietary means. This first study conducted in Trinidad, West Indies, aims to examine the exercise enthusiasts’ perceptions, choices, reasons and beliefs of functional foods.

A structured questionnaire was administered to 120 randomly chosen exercise/fitness enthusiasts at six gyms located in East and Central regions.

Only 50.5 per cent had heard of at least one term either “functional” or “nutraceutical” or “designer” foods with the most familiar term (34.3 per cent; p<0.05) being “functional”. Frequency of exercise (p<0.01) and age (p<0.05) were influential factors affecting familiarity to functional term. Tomatoes (89.5 per cent) and cabbages (83.2 per cent) were popular vegetable choices. Energy giving was selected as most (71.6 per cent; p<0.05) important health claim. The perceived benefit of functional foods was more for performance enhancement rather than for health. Functional foods were considered expensive (47.4 per cent), prevented disease (46.3 per cent), necessary for older people (37.9 per cent) and were different from others. On comparing the respondent's agreement of manufacturer's health claims of functional foods with their own beliefs, 39.0 per cent “agreed/strongly agreed” that the manufacturers exaggerated their health claims. Gender did not (p>0.05) influence responses.

Although, limited in sample size, the reasons given for consumption of functional foods and the chosen foods could guide marketers and food product developers. The study highlighted the need for public education on the health benefits and regulatory measures on functional foods.