34 Is the bioactivity of phytonutrients enhanced in a food matrix? G. DARLAND. HealthComm International, Inc., P.O. Box 1729, Gig Harbor, WA 98335.

Twenty-five hundred years ago Hipprocates recommended that “food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” The emergence of the functional food industry has provided this aphorism with even greater significance. Functional foods not only provide the traditional nutrients but also provide a variety of phytonutrients which may optimize biochemical function and improve the overall well-being of the consuming population. In order to provide benefit, phytochemicals must first reach their respective site(s) of action. Bioavailability is thus crucial to their activity. As key ingredients of foods, cereals can be expected to contribute in this regard. The central hypothesis in this presentation is that there is an advantage to providing phytonutrients within a food matrix as a opposed to a capsule or pill. The biochemical mechanisms contributing to enhanced activity will pertain to nutrient absorption, metabolism and the potential for synergy between specific phytonutrients. Examples of the above will be derived from the fields of nutritional and pharmaceutical research.