UK government mandates folic acid addition to non-wholemeal wheat flour, sparking public opposition

New legislation will obligate almost all bakers and millers to incorporate synthetic folic acid into non-wholemeal wheat flour, aiming to prevent roughly 200 cases of severe brain and spine defects in newborns each year. The policy builds on existing fortification of flour with calcium, niacin, thiamine and iron, and is projected to reduce neural-tube defects by 20%, save the NHS about £20 million over ten years and add over £90 million to the economy.

Opposition has coalesced around a petition started by Dr Clare Craig on 8 June 2026, which has attracted more than 80,000 signatures demanding a stop to the fortification, labeling folic acid a medicine rather than food. The Department of Health & Social Care defended the move as an evidence-based public-health action and noted exemptions for small-scale millers producing under 500 metric tonnes annually. Critics point to groups such as cancer patients, those with coronary stents or vitamin B12 deficiency who may need to avoid folic acid, and warn that high doses can mask B12 deficiency symptoms. The government maintains that women planning pregnancy should still take separate folic acid supplements.