UK prepares to change bread and flour regulations over folic acid fortification

01 Sep 2022 --- The UK is launching a nationwide consultation on changing the regulation surrounding bread and flour fortification, which will now include folic acid. The addition is an attempt to help prevent life-threatening brain and spinal conditions in fetuses. 

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 deemed successful in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, the government is consulting on its proposal to add 250 mg of folic acid per 100 g of flour.

“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 fetuses affected by neural tube defects (NTDs) each year,” says Minister for Public Health, Maggie Throup.

“I want to encourage anyone with an interest in this issue to participate in the consultation and help us deliver life-saving changes.”

Currently, white and brown non-wholemeal wheat flour manufactured and sold in the UK has added calcium, iron, thiamin and niacin to protect against nutrient deficiencies. The government is set to add folic acid to the list of nutrients as part of the wider regulation review. Calls for a review of the regulations arose due to the legislative changes which were made following Brexit.

The UK plans to add 250 mg of folic acid per 100 g of flour. Industry impact
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, covering the specifications of vitamins and minerals added to foods.

Adding folic acid to flour will be considered by officials from across the UK under the Nutrition Labelling and Composition Standards (NLCS) framework, as the addition of vitamins and minerals to food fall in the scope of this framework.

“To minimize the impact of this requirement on industry, where possible, multiple changes should be incorporated under one set of amendments. Thus, the addition of folic acid to the list of nutrients which must be added to non-wholemeal wheat flour is being coordinated as part of this wider review of the regulations,” underscores Defra.

Flour millers in the UK have been preparing to reformulate their products after the UK announced its proposal in 2018.

Crunching the numbers
Neural tube defects are a rare developmental condition which occur very early in pregnancy and affect 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 mg folic acid supplement before conceiving and up to the 12th week of pregnancy as it reduces the risk of neural tube defects affecting 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, notes Defra. “Folic acid fortification is an example of how we can ensure the public receive the nutrition we require through everyday food products,” highlights Defra food minister Victoria Prentis.

Nonetheless, the proposed fortification figures have been slammed by University College London Professor Sir Nicholas Wald. Calling the policy nonsensical, he argued the number was too low and should instead be about 1 mg of folic acid per 100 g. 

The consultation opens on September 1 and closes on November 23. 

By Andria Kades