We have established a project team with expertise relevant to studying folates from food composition and processing effects to bioavailability and functionality, with funding from the European Union until August 2003. 

This team, `FolateFuncHealth', brings together both consumer and commercial interests with an overall aim to provide folate-rich and enriched-foods with specified and scientifically-verified consumer benefits for optimal bioavailability, function and health. Independent nutritional scientists, biochemists, clinicians and food technologists will work together with industry to achieve this goal.

Why are Folates Important ??

If women are supplemented with folic acid during the first few weeks of pregnancy, the incidence and reoccurrence of neural tube defects (e.g. Spina Bifida) are significantly reduced. 

Marginal folate deficiency is also associated with elevated plasma homocysteine, an emerging risk factor for vascular diseases and stroke, and linked to certain cancers, notably colon. 

At the present time, our understanding of the dose-response relationships in these situations is limited, and together with uncertainties over bioavailability, has led to much debate over folate requirements for optimal health and function.

Current recommendations suggest that protection from neural tube defects can be achieved through intakes of an extra 400 mcg daily of folic acid as supplements, fortified foods or natural food folates. The assumption is that all three routes of administration would have equal effects on folate status, although this may not be the case.