The number of pregnancies affected by life-threatening issues
such as spina bifida could fall by more than a fifth as the
government moves one step closer to actively adding folic acid to
non-wholemeal flour.
Following a consultation with industry and stakeholders on
whether to add folic acid to non-wholemeal flour, a public health
policy which has already been successful in Australia, New
Zealand and Canada, today the government is consulting on its
proposal to add 250 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of
flour.
The proposal on the amount of folic acid to be added to flour is
part of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Defra) consultation on the Bread and Flour Regulations, which
aims to ensure the regulations are consistent with other food
standards legislation.
Neural tube defects are a rare developmental condition which
occurs very early in pregnancy and affects around 1,000
pregnancies each year in the UK. This occurs when the brain,
spine, or spinal cord do not develop properly in the womb and can
cause life-threatening health issues.
Women are advised to take a daily 400-microgram folic acid
supplement before conceiving and up to the 12th week of pregnancy
as it reduces the risk of neural tube defects affected
pregnancies. However, as pregnancies may be unplanned or women in
the first few weeks of pregnancy may not know they are pregnant,
many women may be unaware of this recommendation.
Adding folic acid will mean foods made with flour, such as bread,
will actively help avoid around 200 neural tube defects each year
- around 20% of the annual UK total.
Defra Food Minister said:
“It is vital that we consult on this issue to understand views on
all of our proposed amendments to bread and flour regulations.
“Folic acid fortification is an example of how we can ensure the
public receive the nutrition we require through everyday food
products.”
The government’s Bread and Flour Regulations consultation
proposes adding 250 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of
non-wholemeal flour.
Minister for Public Health said:
“Neural tube defects can have a devastating impact on life
expectancy and quality of life.
“This simple step will ensure more women who might be pregnant,
or who are trying to conceive, will have increased intakes of
folic acid, leading to a large reduction in the number of
foetuses affected by NTDs each year.
“I want to encourage anyone with an interest in this issue to
participate in the consultation and help us deliver life-saving
changes.”
The proposal forms part of a UK-wide consultation on the
Bread and Flour Regulations which aims to support UK
industry, help lead to improved public health outcomes, assist
enforcement authorities and protect UK consumers. It
will ensure the regulations are consistent with other food
standards legislation, covering the specifications of vitamins
and minerals added to foods.
The consultation opens on Thursday 1 September and closes on
Wednesday 23 November. It is open to everyone and is available
here: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/food-compositional-standards/bread-and-flour-consultation-2022
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- Following a UK-wide public consultation in 2019, the UK
Government and devolved governments of Scotland, Northern Ireland
and Wales announced in September 2021 that they would proceed
with taking forward legislation to mandate fortification of
non-wholemeal flour with folic acid.
- The Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 and the Bread and Flour
(Northern Ireland) Regulations 1998 provide the legislative
requirements for the UK.
