The proposed regulation is designed to reduce the inicidence of spina bifida births but it has been strongly opposed by the industry.
George Weston Foods, one of two Australian bakers that account for three quarters of all bread sales, has written to federal and state ministers urging them to reject the FSANZ proposal. The company claims the proposal ignores both up-to-date information on women's current diets as well as adequate knowledge of the risks to others in the population from consuming more folic acid.
Now the much smaller organic bakers are also calling on New Zealand food safety minister Annette King to reconsider the proposal, which will be voted on next Wednesday.
Organic bakeries, which have seen increasing sales in recent years, say that adding folic acid, a synthetic vitamin, to bread means the product will no longer be organic.
"It goes against our philosophy to add artificial ingredients to food," explained Steffan Browning, spokesman for the New Zealand Soil Association.
"We would rather add nutrients to the soil so plants make greater quantities of vitamins in the natural form than add a synthetic ingredient."
The Soil & Health Association met with King yesterday morning to request that an exemption be made in the regulation for organic producers. Browning says that most organic bakers are small and the costs of buying new equipment and the new additives will be prohibitive.
"There is an assumption by the FSANZ that lots of bakers are already getting pre-fortified flour and premixes but this isn't the case for organic bakers," said Browning.
He added that many consumers of organic products are more health-conscious than the average consumer and will therefore be typically aware of their vitamin intake, and follow a balanced diet.
Sales of organic foods in New Zealand were estimated at $70 million in 2003, and the Soil and Health Association says they are likely to be well in excess of $100 million now. The sector is seeing double digit growth annually.
The organization is hoping that King will see an exemption as a significant demonstration of concern for consumer choice.
"The proposal claims to offer consumer choice by pointing out that there will be unfortified products such as unleavened flat breads, crumpets and pikelets. But this can't really be called consumer choice if you're used to eating a sandwich everyday," said Browning.
The organization is being supported by the Green party, while the National Party is pushing for the whole mandatory folic acid fortification regulation to be delayed until further investigation is carried out on the health effects.
Critics of the plan say there is a lack of research on the effects of higher folic acid intake in children and some studies showing it may cause higher cancer rates. Moreoever, the level of vitamin being added to bread will not provide the full amount required by women to protect against spina bifida in their babies so taking folic acid tablets will still be advised.
The UK decided against mandatory fortification with the vitamin based on the risk of masking vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly. However many other countries have implemented such a plan, including the US, Canada and Chile.
