The purpose of this review is to address the present state of knowledge in the area of functional foods of animal origin. A large number of food products can be defined as functional foods, i.e. foods containing specific nutrients and(or) non-nutrients, and affecting beneficially human health, beyond what is traditionally known as nutritional effects. Nutritional strategies have become a major means to obtain functional foods of animal origin. Both n-3 PUFA-enriched and CLA-enriched milk, meat and eggs have been successfully obtained. However, their functional properties, were related practically to plasma lipid profile and(or) development of atherosclerosis. Moreover, they were demonstrated mainly in animal models and to a limited extent in humans. Therefore, further studies are required to determine other health-related benefits of these products, e.g. their anticarcinogenic and antinflamatory properties; preferably using human subjects. It is also becoming obvious, that in further studies on functional properties of foods, nutrient-gene interactions must be recognised.