PLANS FOR the mandatory fortification of bread with folic acid have been put on hold until next year at the earliest, The Irish Timeshas learned.
In 2006 the Minister for Health agreed with a recommendation from the National Committee on Folic Acid Food Fortification that most breads on sale here should be fortified with folic acid to reduce the incidence of birth defects such as spina bifida.
If folic acid is taken for at least eight weeks before and 12 weeks after conception, it can reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) by up to 70 per cent.
A group was appointed to oversee the introduction of the measure and last year its chairman, Alan Reilly of the Food Safety Authority, said it was expected that most bread on sale in Ireland would be fortified within a year.
However, in February of this year, the Department of Health said the plan was being reviewed in light of new information. This included the linking of folic acid with certain cancers, and the improving folate status of the Irish population. It said the review should be completed about now.
The Department of Health has now told The Irish Timesthat the outcome of the review process is unlikely to be known before the end of the year.
"The current position regarding folic acid fortification is that the department is awaiting an updated report from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the outcome of reviews relating to cancer concerns," the spokeswoman said. "It is not expected that the outcomes of the reviews will be available before the end of the year."
Some research suggests that high levels of folate are linked with the development of colorectal cancers in certain people with a predisposition to such cancers.
The review is also considering the fact that the rate of NTDs ithis State has fallen from 1 to 1.5 per 1,000 births to 0.8 per 1,000 births.
The National Committee on Folic Acid Food Fortification had recommended that bread be fortified with folic acid at a rate of 120 micrograms per 100g bread. Some breads would not be fortified, in the interests of consumer choice.
On average, Irish women of childbearing age only get about 30 micrograms of folic acid a day in their diet from foods such as green leafy vegetables but the optimal level to help reduce the risk of birth defects is 400 micrograms.
Almost half of all pregnancies in this State are unplanned so many women are not taking folic acid in the key pre-conception stage.
While folic acid is usually associated with reducing NTDs, research published earlier this year found that it could also greatly reduce the incidence of premature births.
The University of Texas-led study found that taking folic acid supplements for a year before pregnancy could cut the risk of premature births by 70 per cent.
