Date of Release: 14 March 2002
For immediate use
IFR debates folic acid fortification
Women trying to conceive are advised to take folic acid supplements to reduce the chances of their baby suffering from neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Does this justify the fortification of flour with folic acid, to protect unplanned pregnancies, or might the increased intake pose a risk to some other sections of the population?
Two scientists from the Institute of Food Research will attend an open meeting in London on Monday which will help shape and inform the Agency's and Health Departments' eventual recommendations to Government. The Government's former advisory committee, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) recommended fortification, but the initial FSA consultation highlighted further issues, which will be discussed at the meeting.
Tony Wright and Paul Finglas, of the Organic Micronutrients Section at IFR, have already contributed to the Food Standard Agency's consultation. "We feel that there are a number of issues that must be investigated before any recommendation is made", said Tony Wright. "There have been significant recent advances in our understanding of folate metabolism. This information simply wasn't available to COMA."
The researchers have five main concerns that need further consideration:
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The original recommendations took into account the effect of fortification in masking one form of B12 deficiency, pernicious anaemia. Recent American research has suggested that other forms of B12 deficiency may be far more common than previously thought, increasing the numbers of people who may be adversely affected by fortification.
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Swedish research has suggested that folic acid fortification may increase the incidence of non-identical twin births. Twins are more likely to have problems of premature birth and low birth weight, and have a slightly increased risk of cerebral palsy. If this work is substantiated, then we need to be very sure that every NTD save that we safe through folic acid fortification is not at the expense of an equal or greater number of cases of another defect that may be just as devastating.
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Folate treatment has been prescribed for all pregnant women in Spain for the last 20 years. Over this period, there has been a change in the frequency of babies born with a common folate enzyme alteration. The significance of this finding is not known.
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Epidemiological evidence suggests that a low folate status is associated with increased rates for some cancers, particularly colorectal cancer, and that an increase in folate status is beneficial. However, a study in mice has shown a protective effect if folate is given before cancer develops, but a negative effect once it has established. The reason for this phenomenon has not been fully explained, and we do not know whether it has any implications for human health.
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Folic acid is a synthetic form of folate, not normally present in the diet. It has been used in the food and pharmaceutical industry because of the difficulty of synthesizing the naturally occurring forms. A cost-effective product, identical to one of the natural forms of folate, has just been launched in the US, and research is needed to see if this would be suitable for use as a fortificant in place of folic acid.
For further information contact:
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Jo Belsten BSc |
Tel: +44 (0) 1603 255 218 |
Notes for editors:
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The mission of the Institute of Food Research is to carry out independent basic, and strategic research on food safety, quality, nutrition and health. It is a company limited by guarantee, with charitable status, grant aided by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
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The Institute is based on the Norwich Research Park.
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