Folic Acid

(asked on 9th October 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any discussions have taken place with the Scottish Government following publication of the updated recommendations on folic acid by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition on 12 July.


Answered by
Lord O'Shaughnessy Portrait
Lord O'Shaughnessy
This question was answered on 18th October 2017

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) advises Public Health England and other United Kingdom Government organisations on nutrition and related health matters. The SACN has recently updated the evidence on folic acid in response to a request from Food Standards Scotland (FSS). In February 2016, FSS asked the SACN to provide advice on whether its previous recommendations regarding mandatory folic acid fortification (2006; 2009) still applied. Ministers are currently considering the issue of mandatory fortification in light of this and will respond in due course. As such, no discussions have yet been held with the Scottish Government, food industry, or the wider scientific community on this issue.

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