Functional Foods: Innovation of Food, Biomedicalizaton of Life

• In Event: Governing Food - II

Abstract

Functional foods are defined as food products that have an additional benefit beyond simply the nutrition they provide, such as vitamin D added milk, golden rice, or probiotic dairy products. They are the new, innovative ways of eating that make us healthier, and protect us from risks that might emerge in the future. Functional foods are problematized especially when highly processed foods are included in this category, with marketing strategies that focusing narrowly on one added (or removed) aspect of the food while obscuring the rest of the nutrition value, which Scrinis calls “nutritionism” (2008).

In this paper, I argue that the discourses that surround marketing of this category of food is an example of biomedicalization (Clarke et al. 2003) that permeates all aspects of life, particularly by ideas of enhancement and optimization of health, and the responsibility of the neoliberal subject of being prepared for health risks before their existence. I further analyze how this biomedicalization process is gendered on the example of Activia probiotic yogurt ads. In terms of its claims to contribute to health and prevent digestive problems before they happen, probiotic yogurt—like most other functional food examples—stands in a place between food and medicine, while the language and slogans used in the marketing campaigns and ads target women with the message that it is the healthy and responsible choice.

Author

• Maral Erol, Isik University