Largest US survey shows folic acid fortification is safe.
The largest study* of folate status since the mandatory folic acid fortification of flour and grain products was initiated in the United States in 1998 concludes that, “every segment of the US population appears to benefit from folic acid fortification.”
Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the survey makes clear that no ill-effects have occurred. Commenting, I rwin H. Rosenberg, M.D.
Senior Scientist and Director, Nutrition and Neurocognition , Friedman School of Nutrition Science and policy, Tufts University, Boston, said, “ Mandatory folic acid fortification may be the most important science-driven intervention in nutrition and public health in decades.” In the UK, the government's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) is currently reviewing its advice to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Department of Health. Since 2000, official scientific advice had been to fortify flour, but in 2002, the FSA contradicted this advice out of caution. America introduced compulsory fortification of flour with the vitamin folic acid in 1998. Canada and most of the Americas have since followed suit. This was primarily done to help prevent neural tube defects (NTD) such as spina bifida, which can cause paralysis and severe disability. Since fortification, the US population has shifted to higher folic acid status and NTD pregnancies have dropped significantly. Folic acid, a B-vitamin, is known to be extremely important to key aspects of health, having a role in preventing heart disease, stroke, various cancers, and dementia. Professor Nicholas Wald, FRS, Director of the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, commented that “flour fortification with folic acid would be the single most effective public health measure the UK could take.” Andrew Russell, Director of The Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (ASBAH) said “This study shows that folic acid is safe. We believe it would be irresponsible of the FSA to continue to oppose fortification, when one sees the severe disability caused by spina bifida, and the distress and cost of over 1,000 abortions for this reason every year.” The SACN report is expected by the early autumn, following which the FSA can be expected to respond.
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* Christine M Pfeiffer et al: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2005;82:442-50