A California bill is asking manufacturers to add a specific chemical substance to tortillas. How will it affect your diet?
What's Folate?
Your cravings for tacos, tamales, and tortilla chips could soon deliver an extra ingredient. According to LAIST, a new bill in California wants to require corn masa (the stuff used to make tortillas) to be fortified with folic acid. This B vitamin has been recommended as a supplement for the prevention of serious birth defects in babies.
It's Already in Your Bread
The FDA already mandates folic acid be added to many breads, pastas, and cereals. But many classic Latino foods made from corn masa miss out on this vitamin since they aren't made with wheat flour. Research shows Latina women are less likely to get enough folic acid (aka vitamin B9) before and during early pregnancy compared to other groups due to the heavy reliance on corn-based foods in their diet. This new bill aims to help fix that disparity through food enrichment.
But Is It Safe?
Folic acid promotes healthy cell growth and can reduce birth defects of the brain and spine by up to 70% if taken before conception and early pregnancy. Since the FDA's 1998 folate rules, the U.S. sees around 1,300 fewer babies born with neural tube defects annually. Continuing to exclude corn masa from fortification is a missed opportunity to promote healthy conception, according to the physicians and lawmakers behind this bill. In a small group of people, folate may trigger an allergic reaction, but overall it's safe and added to food for our benefit.
So don't freak out. It's simply a vitamin you have probably eaten a ton of times before that's naturally occurring in greens, eggs, spinach, and peanuts. Not every chemical addition to a meal is something to worry about, and in some cases, like this one, it's actually helping folks.
