Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
MANDATORY FORTIFICATION OF FLOUR WITH FOLIC ACID
Letter from Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport - Mandatory fortification of four with folic acid - 23 September 2021
Dear Gillian,MANDATORY FORTIFICATION OF FLOUR WITH FOLIC ACID
Yesterday I advised Parliament that the Scottish Government would proceed with a four nation approach to mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid. Full details are at Written question and answer: S6W-03191 | Scottish Parliament Website.
Further to this, I am writing to let you know that the joint consultation analysis report and policy response to the four nation consultation on the mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid was published today, 21 September 2021.
The consultation analysis report and policy response is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/adding-folic-acid-to-flour/outcome/proposal-to-add-folic-acid-to-flour-consultation-response.
Our joint response confirms that we will take forward the fortification of non-wholemeal wheat flour on a UK-wide basis, which was the ‘baseline’ option in the consultation.
Scottish Ministers have long advocated for the mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in foetuses. There is strong evidence that many neural tube defects can be prevented by increasing women’s intake of folic acid. Mandatory fortification is an effective way of reaching people with the lowest folate intakes, often younger women from the most socioeconomically deprived areas.
Regards
Maree Todd