April 5, 2006
WITH NATIONAL HEALTH COMES NATIONAL NUTRITION:
Folic acid in bread to cut birth defects (Valerie Elliott, 4/05/06, Times of London)
FOLIC ACID will be added to bread within a year to reduce the number of babies born with spina bifida and other defects in a U-turn by the Government’s food watchdog.The Food Standards Agency will recommend this week that the vitamin be added to all loaves and flour, The Times has learnt. It will be the first time since the Second World War that food manufacturers have been ordered to add nutrients to improve the nation’s health.
Experts believe that the compulsory addition of folic acid will reduce the number of cases of spina bifida and other defects by 40 per cent. The vitamin also reduces miscarriages and may help to combat strokes, heart disease and bone disorders in adults.
The decision will raise concerns from some consumers at the erosion of personal freedoms.
Don't they own stoves? Posted by Orrin Judd at April 5, 2006 8:17 AM
Aren't you the guy who wants the government to force people to eat with good nutrition and to live what you consider to be a healthy lifestyle? Seems like this would be right up your alley.
Posted by: Bryan at April 5, 2006 8:32 AMOf course, it's no different than what we did with salt & water.
Posted by: oj at April 5, 2006 8:43 AMThey can require it to be added to processed foods, but adding it to flour prevents those who want to opt out. Thus, your question, Orrin, should not have been "don't they have stoves?", but "don't they have fields to grow their own wheat in, and grindstones to grind it by themselves?"
Posted by: Ptah at April 5, 2006 10:32 AMAlthough, as we know, the federal government has the right to regulate wheat grown at home for home consumption.
Posted by: David Cohen at April 5, 2006 11:32 AMi have some colombian oats that will knock your socks off.
Posted by: toe at April 5, 2006 12:15 PM"However, adding folic acid will lessen the 200 cases of babies born each year with spina bifida or other neural tube defects. It will also relieve the distress of up to 750 women a year who have an abortion after discovering that their baby may be born with neural tube defects."
To quote Charlie Brown's dog: "You try to warn them that the world's gone mad, but they just won't listen."
Posted by: b at April 5, 2006 1:34 PMActually, the UK are slackers.
From FDA: How Folate Can Help Prevent Birth Defects:
Under FDA's folic acid fortification program, which became effective January 1998, the agency requires manufacturers to add from 0.43 mg to 1.4 mg of folic acid per pound of product to enriched flour, bread, rolls and buns, farina, corn grits, cornmeal, rice, and noodle products. A serving of each product will provide about 10 percent of the Daily Value for folic acid. Whole-grain products do not have to be enriched because they contain natural folate. Some of the natural folate in non-whole-grain products is lost in the process of refining whole grains.
Posted by: David Cohen at April 5, 2006 6:10 PM