Supplementation of flour with iron and folic acid does not pose risks to health, doctors

The supplementation of wheat flour with iron and folic acid does not pose risks to health. It brings only benefits. Doctors say that when eating bread and pasta made from such flour, overdosing on iron and folic acid is excluded, Info-Prim Neo reports. The first vice director of the National Public Health Center Ion Salaru and doctor Galina Obreja were invited to the meeting of the Network “Journalists – Friends of Children”, which centered on the supplementation of wheat flour with iron and folic acid. The decision to supplement the flour was taken recently by the Government. “The move is aimed at reducing the cases of anemia among the population and of malformations among newborns,” stated Ion Salaru. According to doctors, about 52% of the children under one suffer from anemia. “The deficiency of iron and folic acid affects not only the human health, but also the country’s economy. The children with malformations must be maintained and their integration into society is costly,” said Ion Salaru. Galina Obreja said that a person should eat daily fish and meat and fresh fruit and vegetables so as to accumulate the necessary quantity of iron. The folic acid is found in green vegetables, liver and kidney. “The tea and coffee prevent the assimilation of iron and folic acid by the body. It is important that the tea and coffee be drunk one hour after meal,” she stated. The doctors say the supplements will not affect the quality of bread and pasta. They are resistant to thermal processing. This cannot be said yet about the iron and folic acid in natural products. At the first stage, there will be involved the largest three mills that provide the food industry with flour. The producers will make their own investments in buying the supplements and measuring devices. The authorities plan that all the bread and pasta will be made from supplemented flour by 2013. A tonne of such flour will cost by 7.7 lei more. This will not affect the price of bread. Experts say the flour is supplemented with iron and folic acid in over 50 countries.