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Research and Development of Health Foods from the Perspective of the Concept of “Food as Medicine”

Release Date:

2024-05-02 09:15

Abstract:

As an important category of health foods, food‑medicine‑homology–based health products occupy a pivotal position within China’s food‑healthcare system. However, at present, these products face challenges such as fragmented product varieties, unclear market positioning, and insufficient collaborative R&D efforts. To strengthen the management, guidance, and support for the research and development of food‑medicine‑homology health products and to address existing issues, this study analyzes current problems. By tracing the evolution of such products in China, it conducts an in-depth examination of their R&D from the perspectives of functional scope, product attributes, registration and review processes, and regulatory oversight, and proposes corresponding strategies based on the identified challenges.

Keywords: Food and medicine share the same origin; health food; research and development;

Preface

China is among the earliest countries in the world to have employed the concept of “food and medicine sharing a common origin,” with its origins tracing back to the Zhou Dynasty. The Rites of Zhou explicitly states that “food physicians” held a status comparable to that of “mountain‑medicine practitioners.” As time progressed, the number of food‑medicine‑shared items documented in ancient texts such as the Classic of Food and the Shennong’s Herbal Classic steadily expanded. According to statistics from the China Database of Medicinal and Edible Plant Resources, the database currently catalogs 4,300 species of plants classified as both medicinal and edible. Although the notion of “food and medicine sharing a common origin” has been around for a long time, defining it remains challenging, given its profound influence on traditional Chinese culinary culture throughout history. With advances in modern food science and technology and growing public awareness of health, the principle of “food and medicine sharing a common origin” has gradually taken deeper root in people’s minds.

1 The Connotation of the Principle of “Medicine and Food Sharing a Common Origin”

The concept of “medicine and food sharing a common origin” holds that medicinal substances and foods derive from the same source. Its core idea is to regard medicine and food as an integrated whole—interdependent and mutually reinforcing—each playing a vital role in promoting human health. This principle stems from the traditional Chinese medicine tradition of health preservation, emphasizing the use of food to nourish and support medicine, and of medicine to enhance the benefits of food, with the ultimate goal of achieving physical well-being and longevity. As evidenced by ancient Chinese texts on health and wellness, early Chinese ancestors placed great importance on the relationship between diet and bodily health, even linking food directly to the practice of cultivating one’s vitality.

The Huangdi Neijing contains numerous records on dietary health and longevity, such as the principle that “the five grains nourish, the five fruits assist, the five animals provide benefit, and the five vegetables suffice,” along with many recommendations for sound eating practices. The notion of “food and medicine share a common origin” first appears in the Fifty-Two Prescriptions, which states: “A single bitter herb, being capable of curing a hundred ailments, is thus called ‘food‑therapy.’” By the time of the Compendium of Materia Medica, extensive discussions on using food to treat illness had emerged; for example, it notes that “bitter herbs are bitter in taste and cool in nature, clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling the blood and stopping bleeding, calming the liver and cooling the blood, and reducing swelling and healing sores. Boiled in soup or used as a decoction for hair washing, they clear heat and promote intestinal function, preventing and treating skin ulcers, bleeding, and festering sores. Adding ginger juice to food can relieve nausea.” From this, we can see that the connection between food and medicine dates back to very early times. Today, the concept of “food and medicine sharing a common origin” more often refers to the inherent relationship between foods and medicinal substances. However, this formulation is not entirely precise, since even within the theoretical framework of traditional Chinese medicine, food and medicine are never strictly separated. As Li Shizhen observed in the Compendium of Materia Medica: “Ginseng nourishes people with miraculous efficacy, while also warding off evil and dispelling cold; Salvia miltiorrhiza promotes blood circulation and resolves stasis; Cornus fruit tonifies essence and replenishes blood; Goji berries nourish yin and fortify the kidneys; Chinese yam strengthens the spleen and nourishes the stomach… When these herbs are combined, they can transform disease.”

The essence of the “medicine–food homology” principle encompasses the shared origins of medicines and foods. It signifies that both derive from nature—whether from plants, animals, or minerals—and that they are interconnected, with no rigid boundary separating them; rather, they can mutually influence and exchange properties. The concept of “medicine–food equivalence” further posits that certain foods possess therapeutic effects comparable to those of medicinal substances, while some drugs may also be consumed as food. This idea has become deeply embedded in dietary practices, influencing how traditional Chinese medicinal herbs and culinary ingredients are used, as well as the development of health‑promoting foods. Moreover, medicine–food homology shapes people’s approaches to health preservation, emphasizing that wellness is not solely achieved through pharmacological means but is best attained through a holistic combination of dietary regimens, physical activity, and other complementary practices.

2 The Current Status of Health Foods in China

2.1 Main Forms of Health Foods

At present, China’s major health‑care foods come in four forms:

Primarily through dietary nutritional supplements;

Primarily for health‑promoting functions;

Primarily focused on functional foods;

Primarily consisting of everyday, mass-market food products.

2.2 The medicinal–food homology industry is steadily developing.

China’s research and development of food‑medicine homology products began relatively late, yet it has demonstrated strong growth momentum. In the late 1980s, several local governments began to systematically explore and develop such foods; from the early 21st century to the present, with support from relevant national ministries and commissions, the industry has continued to expand in scale. Today, numerous food‑medicine homology health products are already available on both domestic and international markets. Under the combined influence of traditional medical theory and cutting‑edge modern science and technology, many of these products have progressively embarked on a path of industrialization, with their applications broadening and their user base steadily growing.

2.3 Regulatory policies for health foods are becoming increasingly mature and standardized.

At present, China has progressively refined its regulatory framework for health foods. For instance, health foods must obtain approval from the State Administration for Market Regulation and may only be placed on the market after complying with relevant technical standards and legal requirements. Their labels must accurately and comprehensively disclose information on ingredients, functions, target populations, and recommended dosage and usage. All advertisements for health foods are subject to review by the State Administration for Market Regulation, which strictly prohibits false claims and exaggerated efficacy. The Administration also conducts random inspections of health foods available on the market to ensure their quality and safety. In short, the standardization of health‑food regulations will help consumers use these products more appropriately, enhance their quality and safety, and foster the healthy development of the health‑food market.

2.4 Problems with Health Foods

The primary issue facing China’s health food sector is uneven product quality. In the early stages, lax regulatory standards allowed substandard and counterfeit products to enter the market, posing significant safety risks to consumers. Moreover, the legal framework remains inadequate; China’s laws and regulations on health foods are relatively outdated and require further refinement. To safeguard consumer interests, oversight of the health food industry must be strengthened—both by tightening production‑site inspections and by enhancing market monitoring and management. Consumers should also be encouraged to adopt a scientifically informed, rational approach to consuming health foods: they should avoid mindless trends, carefully read product labels and instruction manuals before purchasing, and thoroughly understand the ingredients, claimed benefits, and any precautions. At the same time, attention should be paid to appropriate serving sizes and frequency of consumption to prevent overuse or adverse reactions.

3 Characteristics of China’s Health Food Market

3.1 Rapid Market Growth

With the guidance of national policies, the health‑food industry has accelerated its growth significantly. New companies are continually entering the market, product offerings are becoming increasingly diverse, and quality has improved markedly. Throughout this period, China’s health‑food sector has maintained robust momentum. The market size has expanded steadily, growing at an annual rate of 20% to 30%, and by 2019, China had become the world’s second-largest health‑food market. Looking ahead, the industry is expected to sustain strong growth over the next three to five years.

3.2 Market concentration has further increased.

China has now become the world’s second-largest market for health foods. However, judging from the current market structure, the industry is characterized by small enterprise sizes, low technological levels, limited brand concentration, and disorganized distribution channels—factors that largely account for the relatively mild competitive dynamics in China’s health‑food sector.

3.3 Gradual Improvement of the System

From policy guidance to legal and regulatory frameworks, and further to the refinement of industry standards; from strengthened government oversight to industry self‑regulation and corporate self‑improvement; and from extensive, unstructured growth to professionalized, precision‑driven development—over recent years, China has continuously improved its market access system for health foods. Government regulation has become increasingly stringent, with the establishment of dedicated institutions and a robust supervisory framework, alongside the introduction of a series of policies and regulations governing health foods. For instance, the Measures for the Registration and Filing Management of Health Foods, which came into effect on July 1, 2016, not only help ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of health foods but also safeguard consumer interests. By steadily enhancing support and guidance for health‑food enterprises, the government has bolstered their efforts in technological innovation and product development, thereby fostering the orderly and standardized growth of the health‑food market.

4 Precautions for the Research and Development of Health Foods from the Perspective of “Food as Medicine”

From the perspective of the “medicine–food homology” paradigm, the research and development of health foods must strike a balance between nutritional value and functional benefits, while also emphasizing rigorous quality control and clinical trials. This approach helps ensure that consumers have access to health products that are both safe and effective. In the course of developing health foods, particular attention should be paid to the following aspects.

4.1 Study of Nutritional Components

The research and development of health foods must be grounded in nutritional science, with an in-depth investigation into the functions and recommended intake levels of essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and proteins. Based on the specific nutritional needs of different population groups, appropriate ingredients should be selected to meet human nutritional requirements and enhance physiological functions. At the same time, it is crucial to assess whether health foods contain undesirable or harmful substances and to evaluate their safety and efficacy.

4.2 Screening of Functional Ingredients

The functional ingredients of health foods are those that can confer health benefits to the human body, including various vitamins, minerals, amino acids, active enzymes, hormones, carbohydrates, and more. When developing health foods, it is essential to identify and select ingredients with proven health‑promoting properties, ensuring both their safety and efficacy. In choosing these functional ingredients, a thorough understanding of their mechanisms of action and influencing factors—such as absorption pathways and modes of activity—is required. Additionally, it is important to take into account the physiological conditions and nutritional needs of different population groups, selecting appropriate functional ingredients tailored to each group’s specific requirements.

4.3 Assurance of Product Safety

The research and development of health foods must prioritize product safety and quality control to ensure both safety and efficacy. In addition to complying with relevant national standards and regulations, products must undergo rigorous quality‑control procedures for inspection and validation, thereby safeguarding their safety and effectiveness. During product development and marketing, adherence to applicable laws and regulations is also essential to protect consumers’ legitimate rights and interests.

5 R&D Strategies for Health Foods from the Perspective of the Concept of “Food and Medicine Having a Common Origin”

As public awareness of health continues to grow, health foods are receiving increasing attention and favor. Influenced by the concept of “medicine and food sharing a common origin,” the research and development of health foods has become a topic of great interest. This concept, rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, posits that the boundary between food and medicine is blurred. Consequently, the development of health foods must take into account their relationship with pharmaceuticals—providing nutritional benefits while also delivering specific functional properties.

5.1 Strengthening Innovation and R&D

The health food industry is a promising, sunrise sector in China. Looking ahead, it is essential to strengthen research and innovation in health foods, encourage the development of new functional claims, and optimize product portfolios. At the same time, we should refine the regulatory framework, enforce stringent safety standards for market entry, foster product innovation, advance technological progress, intensify efforts to develop and update standards, bolster technical support, and enhance public education and outreach, thereby promoting the integration of science communication with industrial development.

5.2 Strengthening Standardized Management

To further standardize the management of health foods that are both medicinal and food, and to promote high-quality industry development, it is essential to actively advance the formulation and refinement of standards for such products, improve relevant regulatory frameworks, and strengthen the overall system. Additionally, efforts should be made to implement the “Three Products and One Label” initiative—namely, green foods and geographical indications—while bolstering quality‑management capabilities and intensifying public awareness‑raising, education, and training. Proactive measures should also be taken to build platforms that support industry growth. For example: in the policy domain, conduct research on pertinent policies and regulations governing medicinal‑food dual‑purpose health foods; in the standards arena, undertake standard‑setting and revision; in certification, carry out quality‑system accreditation; and in outreach, organize public‑interest training and educational campaigns on quality.

5.3 Optimizing the Consumer Environment

Relevant laws and regulations, centered on the Food Safety Law, have essentially established a legal framework for the supervision of health foods, clearly defining specific measures for market oversight as well as associated responsibilities and obligations. In addition, they set forth procedures and requirements for market supervision and have formulated policy documents to support the development of the health‑food industry, thereby ensuring food safety and fostering the sector’s growth. Accordingly, it is essential to strengthen consumer education by disseminating basic knowledge about health foods, along with information on market dynamics and product quality, so as to enhance consumers’ awareness and expand their understanding, thus preventing misrepresentation or fraud. Furthermore, standardized management should be implemented by developing uniform regulatory standards for health‑food production, thereby standardizing every stage—production, distribution, and use—to safeguard product quality and safety. Finally, public outreach must be intensified, with greater efforts to promote and market health foods, encouraging individuals to achieve health and wellness through scientifically sound nutritional balance and healthy lifestyles. At the same time, industry self‑regulation should be reinforced, actively guiding enterprises toward compliant operations and sustainable development, elevating the level of lawful business practices, and ensuring the healthy and orderly evolution of the health‑food sector.

5.4 Construction of an Automated Production Line

The traditional, single‑mode production approach can no longer meet the development needs of China’s health‑food products that share both medicinal and dietary properties. It is imperative to establish automated production lines and, in accordance with the characteristics and functions of the raw materials, subject them to preliminary processing—such as grinding, chopping, tableting, and drying—to bring them to an optimal state and produce outputs that comply with process specifications. At the same time, based on the specific manufacturing processes, appropriate packaging methods—such as vacuum packing, nitrogen flushing, and filling—should be employed to ensure product hygiene, facilitate storage and transportation, and maintain consistent quality.

5.5 Strengthen Research on the Concept of “Medicine and Food Sharing a Common Origin”

It is imperative to fully leverage existing resource advantages, strengthen research on the concept of “medicine–food homology,” and develop a range of Chinese‑style medicinal‑food products. At present, China is conducting pilot projects in this area, and research should systematically explore the concept, connotations, and distinctive features of medicine–food homology. Many domestic experts and scholars have already undertaken in-depth studies on its definition, scope, and characteristics. The “Healthy China 2030” Planning Outline explicitly calls for the comprehensive integration of traditional Chinese medicine’s health‑preserving and wellness culture into the national education system, clinical medical system, and health‑promotion framework. As an essential component of “food as medicine,” the concept and underlying principles of medicinal‑food homology will continue to evolve and refine alongside advances in TCM theory. TCM theory represents a precious legacy of ancient China, while modern medical research has also substantiated the critical role of the “medicine–food homology” principle in nutrition and health.

5.6 In-depth Exploration of Traditional Food-Drug Homology Foods

As one of China’s outstanding traditional cultural legacies, the principle of “food and medicine sharing a common origin” continues to play an important role in the new era. The Party and the government have long attached great importance to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) culture; as early as 1998, they enacted the Law on Traditional Chinese Medicine, and on September 27, 2015, the State Council issued the Outline of the “Healthy China 2030” Plan, elevating the development of a Healthy China to a national strategy. Under the “Greater Health” paradigm, TCM theory stands as a treasured gem of China’s traditional culture. Traditional food‑medicine‑common‑origin products are widely distributed across the country and offer rich therapeutic and health‑promoting benefits. For example, commonly consumed items such as chrysanthemum, goji berries, and honeysuckle can help boost immunity, while others like kudzu root, hawthorn, and poria cocos—known for their ability to improve myocardial blood supply—also provide notable health‑supporting effects.

6 Conclusion

Food‑medicine‑common‑source foods are an essential component of China’s traditional food‑medicine culture and hold broad application potential within the country’s food industry. Building on the inheritance of both the TCM tradition of food‑medicine common source and modern scientific advances, we should, from this perspective, intensify the exploration and utilization of China’s indigenous food‑medicine‑common‑source resources, while leveraging contemporary science and technology for secondary development. In addition, a comprehensive quality‑control system for such foods should be established, rigorously ensuring the quality of raw materials used in health‑food products and standardizing market practices. Furthermore, production processes for health foods ought to be refined to enable end‑to‑end quality assurance—from raw materials through to finished products—and, against the backdrop of the new era, efforts to promote and educate the public about the cultural heritage of food‑medicine‑common‑source foods should be strengthened.

Source: Shanghai Light Industry

Author: Fang Zhengrong

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Article reprinted from: JianShiHui Industry Ecosystem Official Account

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