Whey Proteins as Source of Bioactive Peptides Against Hypertension

A food can be considered as functional if, beyond its nutritional outcomes, it provides benefits upon one or more physiological functions, thus improving health while reducing the risk of illness [1]. This definition – originally proposed by the European Commission Concerted Action on Functional Food Science in Europe (FuFoSE), should be refined in that: (i) the functional effect is different from the nutritional one; and (ii) the benefit provided requires scientific consubstantiation in terms of improvement of physiological functions, or reduction of occurrence of pathological conditions. The concept of functional food emerged in Japan during the 80's, chiefly because of the need to improve the quality of life of a growing elderly population – who typically incurs in much higher health costs [2]. Nowadays, a growing consumer awareness of the relationship between nutrition and health has made the market of functional foods to boom.