Folic acid to be ‘cooked’ –

Health officials confirmed today that English bread will finally be fortified with folic acid.

Ministers say the move, which has been proposed for decades, would prevent dozens of babies being born with defects each year.

Folic acid is added to all of the white and brown flour when the green light turns on at the end of the decision.

The nutrient, which is a synthetic version of the vitamin folate (B9), helps the body make healthy red blood cells.

It is found in vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts, but pregnant women need a significantly higher dose.

Nutrient deficiencies are associated with neural tube defects, including spina bifida, when the baby’s spine does not develop properly in the womb. It can cause paralysis.

Others, such as anencephaly, can be fatal when a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull.

British medical chiefs first decided in 2006 that fortifying flour with folic acid should be mandatory.

However, the government never formally followed the recommendations.

Ministers are said to be stuck for fear of being accused of “mass drugs”.

The NHS recommends that women take 400 micrograms of folic acid a day while trying to conceive and during the first trimester of pregnancy.

It can be purchased as a supplement at most health food stores and pharmacies.

But health leaders say the decision to fortify bread with folic acid will benefit thousands of women who don’t know they’re pregnant until weeks later.

It is estimated that the move will help prevent around 200 neural tube defects a year, roughly a fifth of the total annual number in the UK.

Neural tube defects occur in the first month of pregnancy.

Health Minister Maggie Throup said today, “Neural tube defects can have a devastating impact on life expectancy and quality of life.

“This simple step ensures that more women who may be pregnant or are trying to conceive get more folic acid.”

The decision, first announced last fall by former health minister Sajid Javid, was hailed as “significant”.

Today’s update revolves around the exact amount of folic acid to put into non-wholegrain flour. Whole wheat breads like Hovis and Kingsmill are exempt.

Technically, not all “brown” breads are wholemeal.

Ministers want to add 250 micrograms to every 100 grams of flour in the update to the bread and flour regulation.

According to current regulations, white and brown flours are already enriched with calcium, iron, thiamine (vitamin B1) and niacin (vitamin B3).

It takes about 500g of flour to make a loaf the same size as a store-bought stash.

About 80 countries add folic acid to flour, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.

But opponents say there’s no guarantee that pregnant women will eat enough bread to get an adequate dose.

They also requested further studies on possible side effects.

But as more countries stepped in, concerns subsided, and some studies even suggest that the vitamin may help prevent strokes in the wider population.