Why the UK is adding folic acid to flour

At Good in Bread, we spend our days nurturing sourdough starters, letting dough rise slowly, and chasing that perfect crust. But lately, we’ve had a new topic bubbling up in the bakery — folic acid fortification in flour.

If you’ve heard that all UK flour might soon contain added folic acid and wondered “Is that a good thing?”, let’s break it down (without breaking our crust).

What is folic acid and why add it to flour?

Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate (vitamin B9), a nutrient essential for cell growth and repair. During very early pregnancy — often before someone even knows they’re expecting — folate helps the neural tube form correctly. This tube becomes the baby’s brain and spine.

When folate levels are too low, the neural tube may not close properly, leading to neural tube defects (NTDs) such as spina bifida or anencephaly, serious birth defects of the brain and spine.

To reduce these risks, many countries have begun fortifying flour with folic acid, ensuring that everyone, not just supplement-takers, gets enough of this vital nutrient.

In the UK, non-wholemeal wheat flour will soon be legally required to include added folic acid by the end of 2026.

Why fortify flour? The science behind the loaf

There’s solid science behind this decision.

• Public health impact: Studies show that adding folic acid to flour can dramatically reduce cases of neural tube defects worldwide. Research from Queen Mary University of London found that around 2,000 pregnancies in the UK could have been prevented between 1998 and 2012 if fortification had started earlier.
  
• Effectiveness proven abroad: In countries like Australia, Canada and the US, mandatory folic acid fortification has cut neural tube defects by 20–80%.
  
• The UK’s plan: The British government expects the new rule to prevent roughly 200 neural tube defect cases each year.
  

So, yes — this is one public-health initiative that’s genuinely breadwinner material.

What does flour fortification mean for artisan bakers?

Now, before we all start tossing synthetic vitamins into our bannetons, there are a few nuances to chew on.

• Scope: The rule applies to non-wholemeal wheat flour only, meaning wholemeal, rye, and gluten-free flours are excluded (for now). Many artisan sourdoughs use a mix of wholegrain or heritage flours that fall outside the mandate.
  
• Dosage: Some experts, including researchers at UCL, argue the UK’s proposed fortification levels may be too low to reach full potential benefits.
  
• Taste and fermentation: The good news — studies show folic acid fortification doesn’t noticeably change how flour behaves during baking or fermentation. Your loaf will rise just fine.
  
• Transparency: For us at Good in Bread, it’s about honesty. If flour changes, customers should know what’s in their dough.
  

Is folic acid fortification good or bad?

In short: it’s a good thing done carefully.

Adding folic acid to flour is a proven way to protect future generations. It’s safe, cost-effective, and supported by major health authorities. But it’s not the full story.

Fortification doesn’t replace diverse grains, whole flours, or slow fermentation, all of which also contribute to better nutrition and digestion. As bakers, we believe in both smart science and natural craft.

Our take: Transparency first

At Good in Bread, we’ll keep doing what we do best:

• Using high-quality, minimally processed flours that nourish both body and soul.
  
• Clearly labelling any breads made with fortified flour.
  
• Continuing to include our wholemeal, wheat and rye and Nordic rye.
  
• Talking openly about where our ingredients come from and why.
  

Because bread should be more than fuel — it should tell a story.

The final crumb

Fortifying flour with folic acid isn’t a half-baked idea. It’s a smart, science-backed move that’s likely to save lives and improve public health in the UK.

Still, we’ll always champion real bread — made slowly, with care, and with full transparency about what’s inside. Whether fortified or not, every loaf we bake is good in every sense of the word.