Board reaches conclusion on folic acid

Friday 10 May 2002

The Food Standards Agency Board has reviewed the available evidence in relation to folic acid and the prevention of disease at its May 2002 open meeting in Aberdeen.

It concluded that further evidence on the impact on older people needs to be considered, including the extent to which it would be possible to put in place effective surveillance for vitamin B12 deficiency.

There will be further information available in the future as a result of surveillance in countries such as Chile, which has already introduced mandatory fortification.

The Agency undertook an extensive review of folic acid in response to a Government proposal to consider fortifying flour with it.

Folic acid not only helps the body produce healthy red blood cells, but also helps to reduce the risk of babies developing neural tube defects (NTD), such as spina bifida.

This is why women who are trying for a baby are advised to take folic acid supplements.

But increasing the amount of folic acid we eat could make it harder to spot a deficiency of vitamin B12, which can lead to neurological damage.

This is an issue for older people as it can become more difficult to absorb vitamin B12 as we get older.

The Board nevertheless recognised the clear benefits of fortification in relation to neural tube defects.