fooddrug

Fooddrug is an informal term used to describe substances that can act as both food and drug, a concept encountered in nutrition science and pharmacology. There is no universal definition or regulatory standard for 'fooddrug' across jurisdictions. In some contexts, it refers to foods or food components that have pharmacological effects beyond basic nutrition, such as fortified foods or functional foods with active ingredients; it can also refer to nutraceuticals or dietary supplements marketed for disease prevention or health improvement, which may carry drug-like claims despite being regulated as foods. In rare cases, it denotes products where active pharmaceutical ingredients are delivered through a food matrix, raising regulatory and safety questions.

Regulation typically distinguishes foods from medicines. Claims that a product can prevent, treat, or cure a condition may trigger medicine regulation and stricter testing, whereas general health maintenance claims are typically governed by food or dietary supplement rules. Safety concerns include potential interactions with prescription medications, variability in active ingredient content, and quality control issues.

Researchers study how dietary components influence drug metabolism, absorption, and effectiveness, and how certain foods can modulate disease risk. Critics warn that the term can blur lines between nutrition and pharmacology, potentially encouraging misleading marketing. Consumers should consider regulatory status, evidence for efficacy, and possible interactions when encountering products described as fooddrugs.