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Fortification of Food with Folic Acid

In spring 2007, the board of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) agreed white and brown flour should be fortified with folic acid to reduce neural tube defects in newborn babies.

In October 2007, the FSA received a letter from the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, requesting further consideration of evidence of a link between high folic acid intake and colorectal cancer. As a result of this, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), which advises the FSA, recommended a final decision on fortification of flour with folic acid should not be made until results of two further studies on this subject were available.

In October 2009, FSA published the outcome of SACN's discussions on the two new cancer studies. In short, SACN has concluded that the new evidence does not provide a substantial basis to change its previous recommendation for the introduction of mandatory fortification with folic acid, with controls on voluntary fortification. Therefore FSA's advice of June 2007 remains unchanged (See NUT-118-09 (doc, 229kb) for further information).

In terms of next steps, FSA awaits a decision from UK Health Ministers as to the best way forward in the light of SACN's updated conclusion.

In the meantime, however, the FSA has said it will continue to work with food industry on controls of other foods fortified voluntarily with folic acid. These controls were originally designed to ensure that following mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid, consumers did not take excessive levels of folic acid in their diets.

The FSA's pursuit of these voluntary controls is of great concern to FDF. If approved it will be some time before mandatory fortification is finally implemented and of benefit to the consumer. As such FDF is concerned that any action to reduce voluntary fortification in the absence of mandatory fortification could potentially have an adverse effect on folic acid intake of the population.

In general, FDF believes it is important that consumers have a choice as to whether or not they consume foods which are fortified. Because of this, our members would like to be able to continue to add folic acid to products on a voluntary basis, at a level which is safe in the light of the FSA's final recommendation on mandatory fortification.

More Information

• Food Standards Agency's Eatwell website: Folic acid fortification