Adding folic acid to flour
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
From June to September 2019, the UK Government and devolved administrations consulted on the proposed policy of mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid to help prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) in foetuses.
The UK Government and devolved administrations’ response confirms that they intend to proceed with the fortification of non-wholemeal wheat flour.
Original consultation
Consultation description
We’re seeking your views on our proposal to make it mandatory for flour millers to add folic acid to flour (a process known as ‘fortification’).
Mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid should help raise people’s levels of a vitamin called ‘folate’.
Raising folate levels in women who could become pregnant would help reduce the number of babies born with birth defects of the brain, spine or spinal cord, known as ‘neural tube defects’.
We want to introduce this change across the UK.