Folic acid: updated SACN recommendations
Updated recommendations on folic acid issued by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).
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This report has been prepared in response to a request by Food Standards Scotland.
In 2006, SACN recommended mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid to improve the folate status of women most at risk of neural tube defect (NTD) affected pregnancies. This advice was reiterated in 2009.
In 2016, SACN was asked by Food Standards Scotland to provide advice on whether its previous risk assessments (2006 and 2009) regarding folic acid remain valid. This report updates the previous reviews of potential adverse effects of folic acid on specific health outcomes and its recommendations on folic acid fortification.
SACN is supporting its previous recommendation (2006 and 2009) for mandatory folic acid fortification to improve the folate status of women most at risk of NTD-affected pregnancies.
You can view documents related to the consultation on the draft report. These documents include consultation comments received and SACN’s responses.