Britain's Food Standards Agency board on Thursday gave the go-ahead for plans to add folic acid to foods in a bid to cut birth defects and said levels should be controlled in some products to prevent over-consumption.
The FSA, a government body designed to protect the public's health and consumer interests in relation to food, voted to back mandatory flour fortification last month. At its board meeting on Thursday, the FSA said the voluntary addition of folic acid to products such as breakfast cereals and spreads should be controlled to prevent over-consumption.
Among the board's recommendations were that the FSA should ensure a degree of consumer choice, that products are labelled and the impact of mandatory fortification on industry is considered while ensuring that public health takes priority.