7th Call - Professor Agnes Simpson Budu
Project Title: Consumer Perception, Knowledge and Usage of Functional Foods in the Ghanaian Food Systems and their Nutraceutical Properties: A Case Study of Consumers in the Greater Accra Region.
Principal Investigator: Prof. Agnes Simpson Budu (Department of Nutrition and Food Science)
Email Address: asbudu@ug.edu.gh
Award Amount: GHC 24,997.00
Project Status: On-going
Summary:
Background:
In recent years, a new diet health paradigm is evolving which places more emphasis on the positive aspects of diet. Thus the concept of functional foods was introduced. Functional foods are generally described as food products that may deliver a health benefit beyond providing basic nutrients (Diplocket al., 1999).They are foods which contain component(s) that beneficially affect one or more target functions in the body beyond its normal nutritional effects. They serve as ingredients to promote either an improved stage of health and/or reduction in risk of disease(s). Functional foods are sometimes interchangeable with ‘nutraceuticals’ which is the hybrid of ‘nutrition’ and ‘pharmaceutical’. In Ghana, the concept of functional or nutraceutical components of foods has not been clearly defined to the public though by personal communication and preliminary studies consumers seem to have some knowledge of some ‘medicinal foods’ and their perceived positive effects on health (Budu et al., 2011). However, people hardly consume such foods or in enough quantities, because they thought they were not ill. Most of the common foods that people patronised were fruits and vegetables, but the amounts eaten were below the recommended five portions a day (Budu et al., 2010).
Rationale:
The availability, knowledge and usage of such healthy foods are important for the health needs of Ghanaians. Some public health promoters see functional foods and nutraceuticals as an effective strategy for offsetting the risks of certain non-communicable diseases and ⁄ or promoting general well-being. The use of functional foods may offer a new, less demanding way of gaining better health and longevity. Compared to other countries, the functional food market in Ghana is not only small but it has also not been well studied. There is very little scientific literature on the patronage of functional foods in Ghana.
Objectives:
The proposal seeks to investigate the perception, knowledge, usage of functional foods in the Ghanaian food system and the nutraceutical properties of such food commodities. The project will also categorize the list of known functional foods stated by consumers and find their chemical and biochemical components from literature to support their perceived functional efficacy. Lesser known food commodities that are perceived by consumers to have functional properties will be identified and their chemical and biochemical components analysed.
Methodology:
The first part of the study is going to be a cross-sectional one with a sample size of approximately 400 consumers in the Greater Accra Metropolis where different ethnic groups in Ghana can be identified. Questionnaire will be used to find information under the various sub-headings: demographic data, perception and knowledge on functional foods, usage of functional foods and their perceived benefits, confidence, adoption and willingness to use functional foods among others. The study will be carried out in two places, an urban area and a peri-urban community
The second part of the study will be to determine and document the active ingredients in such foods (perceived to have functional components) from literature and link these components to their nutraceutical properties.
The third part of the study will involve biochemical analysis of the bioactive components of some of the lesser known food commodities that consumers consider to contain medicinal components.
Expected outcome: The study will add on to the limited information currently available on the knowledge and the types of food perceived to have functional components, what these foods are and their rate of consumption by Ghanaians. Additionally, lesser known foods and their functional components will be documented. This will educate the populace and provide an informed choice to consumers on their selection and consumption of food with healthy components.