What are dairy-based functional foods?

Functional foods are an emerging food category, generally regarded as foods that may provide additional health benefits following the addition/concentration of a beneficial ingredient, or the removal/substitution of a harmful ingredient. Dairy foods such as milk, yogurts and spreads are often used as carriers for functional ingredients.

An example of a dairy-based functional food is a yogurt drink with added plant sterols or stanols, which have been clinically proven to lower cholesterol. For any health claims to be made on functional food products it is necessary that they are approved by the European Food Safety Authority.