Scotland considers adding folic acid to flour to cut birth defects

Experts, including the Food Standards Agency, recommend adding folic acid to flour. Credit: Patrick Seeger / DPA/PA Images

The Scottish government is considering adding folic acid to flour in order to reduce the number of children born with certain birth defects such as spina bifida.

ITV News Consumer Editor Chris Choi reports:

Since 1992 the Department of Health has recommended that women take folic acid supplements to reduce the risk of their babies developing neural tube defects - birth defects of the brain, spine or spinal cord.

However, recent research has shown 85% of pregnant women do not take folic acid supplements at the right time mainly because they do not realise early enough that they are pregnant.

The Food Standards Agency along with other experts has recommended fortification of bread and other products but the UK government is yet to approve the move.

There have been concerns that too much folic acid might be harmful to some people. It may mask a vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly, which can seriously damage the nervous system, and it may also be linked to bowel cancer.

Scottish politicians, along with their counterparts in Wales and Ireland, are said to be frustrated at the lack of a decision from Westminster.

Scotland's Public Health Minister, Maureen Watt, told the media "the Scottish government has been convinced of the case for mandatory fortification for some time."

In a statement the Food and Drink Federation told ITV News that "from a practical point of view, manufacturers would favour a harmonised situation across the UK rather than Scotland ‘going it alone’ on mandatory folic acid fortification."

It has been estimated that there are between 700 and 900 pregnancies affected by neural tube defects each year in the UK.

Folic Acid is found in certain foods such as nuts and green vegetables. Credit: Katie Collins / PA Wire/PA Images

So what is folic acid and how does it benefit pregnant women?

  • Folic Acid, also known as Vitamin B9, is found in certain foods such as nuts, green vegetables and granary bread.

  • It is estimated 1,798 pregnancies with neural tube defects such as spina bifida could be avoided if folic acid is added to flour.

  • 85.5% of women in the UK fail to take enough folic acid to reduce risks during pregnancy.

  • America and 77 other countries already add folic acid to flour by law.

  • Since the policy was introduced in the US there has been a 23% fall in pregnancies with neural tube defects.