Alicament
The alicament or " médicaliment " is an invention of agribusiness industry combining the concept of Aliment and Médicament within the framework of a functional food . It is a question of incorporating a Nutriment intended to look after (or to prevent the appearance of) some Maladie S in a food of everyday consumption.
As examples one can quote:
- the food nouveau riches in Omega-3
- the food intended to control the transit (“ active Bifidus ” and others).
- For example, certain yoghourts with drinking contain, in addition to both Ferment S traditional of the Yaourt, a specific Probiotique, the Lactobacillus casei Defensis, which contributes to the good balance of the intestinal Flora.
Even if the scientific studies leading to the manufacture of alicaments serious and are well drawn up, the alicaments escape all controls which a drug undergoes before and after its marketing.
In addition to the concept of “ingredient health”, there exists one second definition of alicament. Alicament would be a food “Totum” equipped with a total scientific allegation recognized by an official of food safety or medical organization. Thus the AFSSA (French Agency of Public health of the Food) recognized in 2004 the allegation concerning the beneficial effects of the juice of Canneberge on the urinary infections.