§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of folic acid. [47419]
§ Yvette CooperA Medical Research Council trial in 1991 showed that supplementation with folic acid significantly reduced the risk of neural tube defects 623W (NTD) in women who had already been through a pregnancy affected by NTD. Following this, in 1992, the then Government issued guidance on supplementation. All women planning a pregnancy are advised to take a daily 400 milligramme supplement from before conception until the twelfth week of pregnancy. They are also advised to eat folate-rich foods.
In 2000, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) advised that fortification of wheat flour with folic acid would help to reduce the number of births affected by NTDs. However, COMA also recognised the potential for increased folic acid intake to mask vitamin B12 deficiency, particularly in older people. The level of fortification recommended by COMA aimed to minimise the number of people having intakes of folic acid which may mask B12 deficiency.
A consultation document on COMA's conclusions was issued in July 2000 jointly by the Health Departments and the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The majority of residents were in favour of fortification although this was not overwhelming (59 per cent.). The most common concerns were over the potential risks of fortification and the possible restriction of consumer choice.