Folic Acid, Food And Human Health: Measuring Blood Folate Status In The UK Population

In 2006, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), Folate Subgroup evaluated the scientific evidence of the merits and disadvantages of introducing compulsory fortification of flour with folic acid in the UK. They concluded that if fortification is introduced by the UK Government, careful and accurate monitoring of folate status in the UK population must be initiated in order to allow precise determination of the impact of fortification on folate levels in the general population and specifically in “at-risk” groups such as the very young and the elderly. To ensure careful population monitoring, SACN further recommended that a standard analytical method for measuring folate status be applied to National UK nutritional surveys.

Scientists at the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health were commissioned by the Food Standards Agency UK to critically assess the suitability of established methods for quantifying folate status and to recommend the best method for future monitoring of folate status in the UK population.

Read the report describing their findings and recommendations.

For further information please contact:

Dr Susan J. Duthie
s.duthie@abdn.ac.uk

Related websites:

Dr. Susan Duthie - webpage

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN)


 

Published on 23 June 2009 in Food, health and wellbeing