Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department of Health expects soon to start discussions with the relevant food industry companies about their willingness in principle to stop voluntary fortification of food products with folic acid, if mandatory fortification were to be introduced; and, if so, when.
Discussions with relevant food industry companies have begun. The Department is in the process of contacting organisations across a range of sectors and we hope to complete these discussions by the end of 2014.
The Department is in the final stages of commissioning research to explore any new and innovative communication approaches that would be effective in raising awareness among women of the need to take folic acid supplements and in promoting behaviour change. This research is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2015.