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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c206d60xe7no
Folic acid is to be added to non-wholemeal wheat flour in the UK to help prevent birth defects.
Adding folic acid to flour could prevent around 200 cases of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, every year, and improve the health of pregnant women, says the government, which is giving manufacturers until the end of 2026 to conform to the new legal requirement.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2849017/
In 1998, health officials in Canada, like the United States, mandated the addition of folic acid to white flour and select grain products to increase the folate intake of reproductive-aged women. Subsequent to this initiative there has been an increase in blood folate concentrations in Canada and a 50% reduction in NTDs.