Phil

From 13 December, folic acid is going to be added to non-wholemeal common wheat flour in the UK, which means it will end up in many of the breads and flour-based foods eaten every day. And before you think, it's a vitamin, surely that's a good thing, I think you need to understand what they're actually adding. Folate and folic acid are NOT the same thing. Folate is vitamin B9 that occurs naturally in food, including wheat itself. The wheat grain naturally contains folate, along with other nutrients, but refining wheat to produce white flour removes the bran and germ and reduces many of the nutrients naturally present in the whole grain. Folic acid, on the other hand, is the synthetic form of folate used in supplements and fortified foods. The Government's own guidance states that from December, 250mcg of synthetic folic acid must be added to every 100g of non-wholemeal common wheat flour, regardless of how much folate is naturally present in the flour. Iron, niacin, thiamin and calcium carbonate are also subject to mandatory fortification requirements. So why should we question it? because our bodies have to process folic acid before it can be used, and we don't all process it at exactly the same rate. The NIH explains that the activity of the enzyme involved in metabolising folic acid varies greatly between individuals. When that capacity is exceeded, unmetabolised folic acid can remain circulating in the blood. And what needs far more attention, is the affect on cancer development. Folate is involved in DNA synthesis and cell division, and according to the NIH its relationship with cancer may have a dual role. Adequate folate may be protective during the early stages of cancer development, while high doses of folic acid taken after precancerous lesions have already developed may potentially promote their development and progression. Human studies haven't given one simple answer either, some trials have found no increase in overall cancer incidence, while others have raised concerns around particular cancers or circumstances. The NIH concludes that the effect of supplemental folic acid on cancer risk remains unclear, particularly in people with previous colorectal adenomas or other cancers, and that more research is needed. For me personally, I see that as a risk. There are other questions too, high folic-acid intake can complicate vitamin B12 deficiency because it can correct the anaemia while neurological damage associated with B12 deficiency continues. Unmetabolised folic acid has also been linked in research with reduced numbers and activity of natural killer cells, although whether the folic acid itself causes this isn't yet known. I'm not saying eating fortified bread causes cancer, as that isn't what the evidence says. But what I'm questioning is why are they routinely putting synthetic folic acid into food consumed by millions of people who haven't chosen to supplement with it. And if you DON'T want added folic acid, don't assume simply buying organic white flour gets around the new regulations. Wholemeal flour is exempt, as is flour produced by qualifying small mills, and the rules apply specifically to common wheat, so there are other choices available. There are already independent millers and producers discussing unfortified alternatives, and personally I'd be looking for flour that specifically states it is unfortified, checking the label, asking the bakery what flour they're using, or buying an exempt flour and making my own sourdough. And don't assume “sourdough” automatically means unfortified either. If it's made from fortified white common-wheat flour, the folic acid is still there. That's why baking your own with better ingredients would be the bst option. You can read it for yourself in thye below links, don't be fooled by seeing the word vitamin and assuming it must be better for us. gov.uk/guidance/bread-and-fl… ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Fo… gov.uk/guidance/bread-and-fl…