The idea of enriching apples with additional antioxidants elicited a wide range of reactions in a consumer study conducted by Washington State University. Consumers’ responses covered the spectrum from “Stop playing with natural foods,” to “That’s a great idea,” economist Dr. Jill McCluskey reported during a seminar at WSU’s Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center this fall. McCluskey said foods that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition are known as functional foods. Food processors are increasingly using functional food claims as a marketing tool. Products such as orange juice with added calcium and vitamin D-fortified milk are now widely available. […]