UK bakeries have backed the recommendation to add folic acid to bread or flour in an attempt to cut birth defects.
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The Federation of Bakers told just-food today (18 May) that it supported the move, which has been put forward by the UK’s Food Standards Agency.
However, the Federation put forward what it termed the “most viable solution” to the introduction of folic acid.
“The Federation strongly advises that fortification of flour at the milling stage is the most viable solution,” the organisation said. The Federation added that it would welcome further talks on the issue.
The FSA’s board has said more research is needed into whether folic acid should be just added to bread or whether to include flour in its recommendations. If the addition of folic acid to flour was put forward, it would mean products including cakes and biscuits would also come under scrutiny.
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By GlobalDataThe FSA said its recommendations could help prevent pregnancies affected by illnesses like spina bifida. The FSA said that here are 700-900 such pregnancies in the UK each year.
Countries including the US, Chile and Canada have already fortified flour with folic acid. The FSA said that since the US introduced the measure a decade ago, there has been a drop of more than a quarter in related birth defects.
