Folate draft report published
Wednesday 23 November 2005
A draft report examining the evidence on the risks and benefits of increasing folate intakes has been issued by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition.
SACN, an independent expert committee that advises the Food Standards Agency and health departments, is inviting comments on the scientific evidence basis for its assessment. The responses will be considered in full by SACN before the Committee agrees its final report, expected to be published in spring 2006.
Folic acid is a synthetic form of the B vitamin folate, which is found naturally in foods, especially green leafy vegetables.
Agency advice
The Agency advises women who are pregnant, or trying to get pregnant, to take a 400 microgram (mcg) folic acid supplement every day from the time they stop using contraception to the 12th week of pregnancy.
This is because folate helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, in unborn babies.
Pregnant women are also advised to eat foods containing folate, such as green vegetables, brown rice and fortified breakfast cereals, as well as taking folic acid supplements.
Fortification
Fortification of flour with folic acid could significantly reduce the number of pregnancies affected by neural tube defects in the UK.
However, if all flour is fortified with folic acid, this could make it harder to spot early symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. This means that treatment is more likely to be delayed.
In the UK, vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to irreversible nerve damage, is relatively common in older people aged 65 years and over. This is because it can become more difficult to absorb vitamin B12 as we get older.
What happens next
After SACN has completed its final report, the FSA Board will consult on SACN's recommendations before considering whether flour should be fortified with folic acid in the UK. The FSA Board will publicly consult on any proposals after reviewing the SACN recommendations.
The FSA Board previously considered the available evidence in May 2002 when it concluded that further evidence was needed on the impact on older people.
A full copy of the SACN draft report 'Folate and Disease Prevention' can be found on the SACN website at the link below. The deadline for comments on the scientific evidence in the draft report is 18 January 2006.
If you wish to comment, please contact the SACN Secretariat, tel: 020 7276 8928 or email: SACN@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
Share this with: