Article 2 of the national standard GB/T15901-1994 "fundamental terms of food industry" defines "general food" as a substance that can be eaten or drunk by human beings, including processed food, semi-finished products and unprocessed food, excluding tobacco or substances only used as medicines. Article 3.l of GB 16740- 1997 "General Standard for Health (Functional) Foods" defines health (functional) foods as follows: Health (functional) foods refer to a kind of foods that have general food characteristics, can regulate human functions, and are suitable for specific people to eat, but are not aimed at treating diseases.

* * * Sex: Both healthy (functional) food and general food can provide basic nutrients necessary for human survival (the first function of food), and both have specific colors, smells, tastes and shapes (the second function of food).

Differences: (1) Health (functional) food contains a certain amount of functional ingredients (physiologically active substances), which can regulate human body functions and have specific functions (the third function of food); The general food does not emphasize the specific function (the third function of food).

(2) Health (functional) foods generally have a specific scope of consumption (specific population), while general foods have no specific scope of consumption.

There are also physiologically active substances in general food. Because of the low content, it is impossible to achieve the concentration of regulating function in human body and achieve the drug effect. Physiologically active substances in health (functional) food are extracted, separated and concentrated (or some physiologically active substances with high purity are added) to make them reach the concentration of action in human body, thus having the third function of food.