UK mulls folic acid in flour to cut birth defects

LONDON, Dec 13 (Reuters) A key scientific committee in Britain gave guarded backing to the mandatory fortification of flour with the vitamin folic acid to reduce the number of neural tube defect affected pregnancies.

The Scientific Advisory Committee of Nutrition (SACN) yesterday issued a report which recommended mandatory fortification as the most effective way to increase folate intake of women most at risk of neutral tube defects, a condition also known as spina bifida.

The committee, also said that if mandatory fortification is ntroduced it must be accompanied by several other measures designed to ensure that folic acid consumption does not rise above recommended levels in the rest of the population.

It also sought ''careful monitoring on the effects of long-term exposure to intakes of folic acid above guideline upper limit per day and postulated adverse effects including neurological damage, cardiovascular disease and cancer''.

Britain's Food Standards Agency launched a public consultation on Tuesday to consider various options including mandatory fortification, encouraging the food industry to fortify more foods on a voluntary basis and to continue with the current policy of promoting folic acide supplements for women who are planning to start a family.

Mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid already takes place in several countries including the United States.

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