Page 33 - Azerbaijan State University of Economics

THE JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC SCIENCES: THEORY AND PRACTICE, V.72, # 1, 2015, pp. 27-39

access and consume these high quality animal products, vegetables and fruits (Loring

& Gerlach, 2009). Examples include Moringa oleifera leaf meal consumed in different

forms and noted for the high presence of essential n − 3 fatty acids ( Melesse et al.,

2013, Qwele et al., 2013 and Nkukwana et al., 2014). However, some of these foods

often act as functional foods as they have health-enhancing physiologically active

components (Pang, Xie, Chen, & Hu, 2012). Price distortions on some of these food

items are a limitation at times for low income food ‗insecure‘ individuals. Therefore,

there is need for subsidise fish and fish oils food items in order to meet dietary fatty

acids in food insecure communities in order to improve health, wellbeing and meet

food and nutrition security.

4. Innovative technologies in improving fatty acid profiles of common foodstuffs

It has long been established that the public choose products based on taste (Goldberg

& Hellwig, 1997), healthfulness (Borra & Bouchoux, 2009), and price (Niederdeppe

& Frosch, 2009). However, with the growing conscience and the knowledge of health

risks associated with certain foods in the diet, there has been a growing pattern of

consumers demanding tailor made foods designed for different individuals (Fresco,

2009). Many novel methods have been formulated to improve nutrient composition of

human foods to promote wellbeing. Functional foods have become attractive and aim

at solving deficiencies and other nutritional related problems facing the world's

population. The high fat, SFA and iTFA in animal products continue to be a threat to

human health affecting blood lipid concentration, insulin sensitivity and endothelium

function (Monge-Rojas et al., 2013). Naturally occurring trans-fatty acids benefits

33