Folic acid in bread will save lives ... or give you cancer
An Oxford University professor and pharmacologist claims an increased risk of cancer if New Zealand was to make it mandatory to put folic acid in bread.
“I would say that several hundred additional cases of cancer may occur in the population [per year],” folic acid researcher David Smith told TVNZ's Q&A programme yesterday.
“So we estimate that 10% of New Zealanders will be at increased risk of cancer if folic acid is added to flour.”
Mandatory fortification would see “a reduction of five neural tube defect cases in pregnancies per year”, but “harmful effects” means that’s not worth it, Prof Smith said.
“Quite recent evidence now is that there is significant potential for harm.
“You’re affecting the health of the whole population if you add something to food. It’s got to be a very serious decision to be taken.”
'False' and 'selective'
But the Paediatric Society says Prof Smith's claims are “completely false” and “selective”.
“It’s not true it will increase cancer. It reduces cancer overall,” the society's Dr Andrew Marshall told Q+A.
Mandatory fortification of bread with folic acid could prevent deaths from strokes – as many as 124 per year, the society says.
About 24 neural tube (NTD) pregnancies a year could be saved if folic acid in bread was made mandatory.
Mandatory fortification could save about two-thirds of all NTD cases, Dr Marshall said.
The number of women with “good levels of folate in their blood” has doubled since a voluntary folic acid in bread programme began two years ago, but that is only half of the number that would be achieved if it was made mandatory.
Freedom of choice?
“If you can do something that’s safe and effective and doesn’t cause harm, then it’s better to do that for the whole population, even though you know that only certain sectors of the population will achieve the greatest benefits from that,” Dr Marshall said.
Food & Grocery Council CEO Katherine Rich has said her organisation opposes compulsory introduction of folic acid.
New Zealanders don't like the government tampering with their bread, and scientific evidence does not support folic acid's introduction, she has said.
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Comments and questions13
Rather than adding folic acid to bread (cutting out choice for everyone), perhaps they should look at prescribing free folic acid tablets to pregnant mothers who need it. No increased risk to the general population, no requirement to give it to women who don't need supplementation, and targeted treatment to those who do. What is so hard about this?
Couldn't agree more. Why on earth would the government want to force this onto the entire population instead of looking at this option. I also like the comment "New Zealanders don't like the government tampering with their bread, and scientific evidence does not support folic acid's introduction."
Cynical & Hillary - I think you will find they already do, I was certainly offered it when I was pregnant but as a responsible adult had already been taking it when trying to get pregnant. In an ideal world full of responsible adults all women would plan to get pregnant and ensure they were taking the appropriate supplements at the time. But unfortunately we don't live in that world do we. I agree that we should be looking at other ways to achieve the same goal though.
Agree - they do prescribe it but the government has to cater for the lowest common denominator which includes those that remember to drink alcohol/smoke ciggies while pregnant but forget to take their vitamin/mineral supplements.
Don't F%$K with our bread. This is complete and utter BS. Yes, take pills and save the rest of us from this bureaucracy. You would need a loaf of bread each day for this to have any real positive effect for pregnant women. Get a grip politicians.
Hi Catherine good to see you are earning your money ......Sam s
Sorry Sam riiverview
don't want my bread adulterated, thanks.
The most effective way to get important nutrients into the diet of irresponsible mothers would be to add it to Woodys, Jack Daniels or any other brand of bourbon.
It's obnoxious and offensive to imply that mothers experiencing an unplanned pregnancy are useless, heavy-drinking low-lives. No birth control option is 100% effective. Folic acid taken after the first month of pregnancy will not prevent neural tube defects, so for most women it's too late by the time they realise they are having a baby unexpectedly. The best stats we have (from the Growing Up New Zealand study) show that around 40% of pregnancies are unplanned. That's not an insignificant minority. and it's the affected infants who bear the impacts. Surely we can all bear to care about them.
Most of us (including pregnant women) don't have a folic acid (folate) deficiency because we get enough through a decent diet; sources: leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, beans (legumes), and whole grains. A few have poor diets. We're sick of the argument of fixing the problem of the few by treating the masses.
I will not buy bread if it has folic acid added I guess tho the bread makers will find another way to sell folic free bread even if the government does do it
The added folic acid is a synthetic and not natural .. it is a possibly lethal racemate for certain people.
Mass medication has never been a good idea .. just look at the water and fluoride controversy .. Those that opposed the fluoride have been vindicated. but too late to prevent a host of conditions.
Synthetic folic acid needs far more scrutiny than it has received.