The Form of Functional Foods: Caveat Emptor

Nestle, one of the world's largest producers of packaged food, has announced a major investment in the development of "functional foods."
Whether this proves to be good, bad, or in-between depends on both the form, and intended function, of such products.
We should note for starters that there is no generally accepted definition of "functional foods" (hence the quotation marks), and that is an invitation to mischief. To guard against just such mischief, I offer my own definition to the cautious consumer:
Functional food must be wholesome and nutritious to begin with, and is then enhanced by the addition of an ingredient or nutrient(s) that allows the food to confer some specific and measurable benefit. Examples include the addition of calcium and/or vitamin D to orange juice (orange juice is a 'wholeseome' food, and these nutrients help redress measurable deficiencies, and protect bone health); the addition of plant sterols to spreads made from healthful oils (the spreads are reasonably healthful to begin with, and plant sterols measurably and meaningfully improve cholesterol levels); the addition of probiotic cultures to yogurt (yogurt- particularly non-fat, plain yogurt, is a nutritious food, and the probiotics can measurably improve gastrointestinal health).

With this definition in play, a glow-in-the-dark Frankenfood can NEVER be a functional food, no matter what cure-all ingredient is thrown into the vat. And, a food is not made functional by the haphazard addition of various nutrients the average consumer may or may not need, and that may or may not confer a benefit -with no reliable way to tell. Total Cereal, for instance, which turns breakfast flakes into a delivery vehicle for a multivitamin, would not satisfy this definition. Certainly soda with added vitamins would not even come close.
There should be a defined and measurable function for a so-called "functional" food. And the form of that food should be considered as well. Wholesome foods, functionally enhanced are possible- and a potentially welcome addition to the food supply. All the rest is clever marketing.
So keep a close eye on what products Nestle actually introduces- and caveat emptor.