25 Aug 2009

Bakers support use of folic acid in some bread

6:42 pm on 25 August 2009

Bakers have unanimously thrown their support behind voluntary fortification of some bread with folic acid.

More than 90% of the industry attended the first national bread summit in Wellington on Tuesday.

Adding folic acid to bread is thought to reduce the risk of babies being born with defects such as spina bifida.

The Government has indicated it wants the question of the fortification of bread with folic acid to be deferred until 2012.

New Zealand Association of Bakers president Laurie Powell says bakers have agreed to offer some breads containing folic acid targeting women.