Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content

Flavonoids

LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE

The Committee on Flavonoids seeks to expand scientific knowledge and gain consensus concerning the role of dietary flavonoids in health.

CURRENT ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

Science points to the health benefits of food components beyond traditionally accepted “essential” nutrients, yet there is no framework around which to base dietary guidance. ILSI North America’s 2009 workshop at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) addressed factors critical to laying the groundwork for a nationally accepted approach to establishing dietary guidance for food components with long-term health benefits. This discussion continued at a joint 2010 meeting with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies of Science, in which experts discussed considerations for a new paradigm, applying flavonoids as the case study. A critical component of this paradigm will be to understand the level of flavonoid intake that produces a health effect. To this end, the committee has engaged Tufts University for analysis of population intake data linking dietary flavonoids and cardiovascular outcomes. The committee is developing guidelines to promote the appropriate methods and terminology when designing and reporting flavonoid research. Harmonization in the literature is critical to building the evidence body needed to support dietary guidance.

PRESENTATIONS

Developing Dietary Guidance for Non-Nutrient Dietary Components 2010

The conference co-hosted by the IOM Food Forum and ILSI North America began the conversation on the types and amount of evidence required to give dietary guidance on non-nutrient dietary components in foods. Flavonoids were used as a case study. The following presentations are available:

Industry Nutrition Advisory Panel—American Heart Association

In 2009, Dr. Douglas Balentine presented a summary of the science related to flavonoids and cardiovascular health. Slides can be found on the AHA website.

State of the Science on Dietary Flavonoids—Experimental Biology 2009

The conference began with a general introduction and overview of flavonoids and their presence in the diet as well as the estimated intake levels in the US population. Subsequent presentations addressed issues pertaining to study design and interpretation, mechanisms of action, and the potential health impacts related to inflammation, the vasculature, and the brain. The following presentations are available:

PUBLICATIONS


COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Campbell Soup Company
The Coca-Cola Company
The Hershey Company
Mars, Incorporated
Nestlé USA
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.
Unilever


SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR

John Erdman, PhD
University of Illinois


GOVERNMENT LIAISON

Allison Yates, PhD, RD
US Department of Agriculture


STAFF CONTACT 

Courtney Gaine, PhD, RD
Science Program Manager
ILSI North America
1156 15th Street, NW
Suite 200
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: 202.659.0074 (ext. 121)
Fax: 202.659.3859
cgaine@ilsi.org

Download the Committee on Flavonoids fact sheet here.
Flavonoids