Phytochemomics and other omics for permitting health claims made on foods

Various food components positively affect human health and wellness. Phytochemicals have been proposed as health promoters. Several claimed healthy products including foods, dietary supplements, nutraceutics and cosmetics containing phytochemicals are commercialized worldwide. Products based on phytochemicals are nowadays very popular. PhytochemicalsD́ health promoting properties are under evaluation by scientists and regulatorsD́ authorities. Phytochemomics is a comprehensive concept aimed to increase the knowledge on phytochemicalsD́ bioactivity and their impact in health, aging and diseases, which is of growing importance in food, medicine and cosmetic sciences. These achievements are based on up-to-date analytical platforms including, but not limited, to mass spectrometric approaches.Foods are very complex mixtures of bioactive components in different concentrations. Phytochemomics together with other omics are essential for authorizing or rejecting nutrition and health claims made on foods. On the basis of the data collected by using omic approaches a cause-effect relationship may be established between a food category, a food or one of its constituents and the claimed effect. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.Authors thank NATURAGE (AGL2010-17779), A2/036996/11 and FUN-C-FOOD projects for the financial support of their research in Phytochemomics. M. A-B. and J. M. S. thank CSIC and European Social Funds for funding their JAE-Doc contracts.Peer Reviewe