Minister must put NZ interests first

Food Safety Minister Kate Wilkinson must put New Zealand’s interests first in any decision she makes regarding the fortification of bread with folic acid, said the Green Party’s Food Safety spokesperson Sue Kedgley.

From September 2009 all bread in New Zealand made with wheat flour will contain folic acid under mandatory fortification rules. However the Minister is now suggesting she could reverse this decision – made by the previous Labour Government in 2007 – but only after a ministerial meeting in October.
“Surely the meeting can be brought forward. Haven't they heard of teleconferencing,” said Ms Kedgley.

“Push the pause button on the review for three months while New Zealand does its own review on the safety of mandatory folic acid fortification – which should be done now rather than after the folic acid horse has left the stables and is halfway down the road.”

Mandatory folic acid fortification is a trans-tasman initiative of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) aimed at providing additional protection against neural tube defects (NTD’s).

“There are some concerns in the scientific community that too much folic acid can cause pre cancerous cells and tumours to grow more quickly. Given this new research we need to take a precautionary approach and be certain it is safe before we require almost every loaf of bread to be fortified with folic acid,” said Ms Kedgley.

Ireland’s Food Safety authority has paused in its program of introducing mandatory fortification of all bread while awaiting research which is expected later this year. In the United Kingdom mandatory fortification is also awaiting final approval from a distinguished group of scientists who have been studying the issue for the last two years.

Last month the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) signed an agreement with its British counterpart. The NZFSA pointed out on its website how this would result in 'stronger scientific links' between New Zealand and Britain.

“Now is the chance surely to utilise these ‘strong scientific links’ and study the advice coming out of Europe before beginning what could be an unfortunate and expensive experiment,” said Ms Kedgley.

“It is absurd that New Zealand can't pause and evaluate this new research as other countries are doing because we are worried about getting off side with Australia.

“It is even more absurd that we would require bakers to introduce mandatory fortification if in a few months the Government is likely to revoke the decision.”