On Mon, 6 Apr 2009 06:45:26 -0700 (PDT), Cindy Hamilton
> wrote:

>On Apr 3, 7:53*pm, Dave > wrote:
>
>> "Now that we have identified the importance of these compounds,
>> producers can start to care more about the polyphenolic composition of
>> their oils," she says. It is certainly possible to see functional
>> olive oils on the market in the not-too-distant future, speaking on
>> their label of heart protective claims and the percentages of DHPEA-
>> EDA inside the bottle. The whole "functional foods" industry is in a
>> growth mode, and with research like this, olive oil could certainly be
>> seen by agencies such as the FDA and the FTC as a product that could
>> have valid health claims on labels in the near future.
>
>The only "function" that olive oil needs is to make food taste good.
>
>Jeezus! This reminds me of balancing the "humours" in food in
>medieval cookery.
>
Michael Pollan calls such things "nutriceuticals", as I recall, and
dates that ay of thinking to a big blowup when nutritionists began
recommending reducing the amounts of red meat and butter in american
diets. Beef producers and dairy producers spazzed at the idea, so the
government recommendations changed to limiting the intake of certain
chemicals found in animal fats, not the foods themselves. It fit
quite nicely with the trend towards factory foods in general, and soon
a whole new cut-and-paste attitude took wing in the American food
industry.
--

modom