Study Reinforces Benefits of Folic Acid Enrichment

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Prairie Grains is the official publication of
the Minnesota
Association of
Wheat Growers,
North Dakota Grain Growers Association,
South Dakota Wheat, Inc., and the Minnesota Barley Growers Association.

Folic acid deficiency may be a thing of the past thanks to the folic acid fortification of cereals, breads and other grain foods, according to the preliminary indications of a study published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study, conducted by Tufts University researchers, showed that since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a regulation that grain foods be enriched with folic acid, the levels of folic acid in the bloodstream of study participants have nearly doubled. In addition, the number of people with insufficient folic acid levels has declined from 22 percent to 1.7 percent. Taking into consideration that the study subjects did not use vitamin supplements, the researchers concluded, "the fortification of enriched grain products with folic acid was associated with a substantial improvement in folate status."

According to Judi Adams, M.S., R.D., president of the nonprofit Wheat Foods Council that is supported in part by the Minnesota wheat checkoff, fortified and enriched grain foods have been an essential source of vitamins and minerals since the 1940s, with folic acid being the most recent.

"Bread and cereal are standard in most pantries across America. It's no wonder that the FDA chose this staple food group to be an excellent source for folic acid, as well as many other essential vitamins and minerals," Adams says.

Enrichment started in 1943 when the government mandated that flour products be enriched with iron and the B vitamins niacin, thiamin and riboflavin to combat nutrition deficiencies. "Over the years, enrichment has helped to nearly eliminate nutrition-related diseases such as beriberi, pellagra and severe nutritional anemia. With the positive signs supporting folic acid fortification, we hope to contribute to the prevention of many other illnesses and diseases related to nutrient deficiencies," says Adams.

The FDA chose to mandate folic acid enrichment of grain foods after studies demonstrated the impact of increased folic acid levels on reducing the risk of birth defects of the brain and spinal cord. "In addition to helping prevent birth defects, folic acid also may help to control the body's level of homocysteine, an amino acid some experts say poses as much risk at high levels as smoking and is perhaps more influential than cholesterol," Adams said. "More exciting is that preliminary data suggests that folic acid may protect against certain types of cancers."

The Wheat Foods Council is a nonprofit organization formed in 1972 to help increase public awareness of grains, complex carbohydrates and fiber as essential components of a healthful diet. The Council is supported voluntarily by wheat producers, millers, bakers and related industries.

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