If there is a demand, you can assume that a company will step up to supply it. While the seemingly unstoppable rise in obesity may make one consider how much Americans really care about what they eat, there is undeniably strong interest in so-called "functional foods". It is not enough anymore to just call your product "fresh", "natural", or even "organic" - no, these days consumers want your product to prevent their heart disease, clean their colons and give them shiny, healthy hair.
Trouble is, the science behind many of these claims is (to be charitable) lacking and seldom meets the standards of the major peer-reviewed journals. Consequently, the FDA and FTC have stepped up their attempts to enforce rules about unsupported nutritional claims. That could be bad news for packaged food companies ranging from Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) to Unilever (NYSE:UL), as these claims are often baked into the ad campaigns and constitute what the companies hope will be enduring ways to differentiate their product in the aisles at your local Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT).
The link below leads to the full piece on Investopedia:
http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2010/Facts-Versus-Food-KO-UL-WMT-K-GIS-KFT-DPS0929.aspx
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