Korean brewer Hite recently launched a promotional campaign that says its new beer, called simply "S", contains dietary fiber to help drinkers control their weight.

Korea Yakult says its new product Brain Q 148 contains extract of amino acid that can improve your learning ability by relieving stress. The beverage is now available on drug store shelves. "The main target of Brain Q 148 is high school students who are preparing for the college scholastic aptitude test," the company says.

Haitai Confectionery and Foods recently released a functional gum called Chew&Sing, which it claims has magnesium to soften the vocal cords and help people stabilize their voices. "Whether consumers of the product can sing better or not is unclear, but it is true that it softens their voice," a Haitai official said.

According to Kirin, its new ice cream For Me is made of one hundred percent vegetable materials so it's great for weight watchers. Paris Baguette has a bread on the market that it claims helps suppress the appetite.

Whether these functional products actually deliver what their makers suggest is left to be determined by the experts. "Setting aside functional products' real functions, the recent trend of functional products in the food and beverage industry is aimed at meeting the needs of consumers," said a marketing executive. So consumers want products that are healthy and help them lose weight, and manufacturers are trying to meet that demand by launching new products and campaigns.

(englishnews@chosun.com )