New Zealand bakers support folic acid addition in some bread

From Radio New Zealand:

Bakers have unanimously thrown their support behind voluntary fortification of some bread with folic acid.

More than 90% of the industry attended the first national bread summit in Wellington on August 25.

Adding folic acid to bread is thought to reduce the risk of babies being born with defects such as spina bifida.

The Government has indicated it wants the question of the fortification of bread with folic acid to be deferred until 2012.

New Zealand Association of Bakers president Laurie Powell says bakers have agreed to offer some breads containing folic acid targeting women.