Folic Acid to be added to bread

[Barman]

For some reason this has really annoyed me this morning. I can?t find today?s story but this is from last week.

The UK's official food watchdog is backing the mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid to reduce birth defects such as spina bifida

Source

The FSA has now decided that Folic Acid will be added to bread to reduce neural tube defects in babies. Apparently, women attempting to get pregnant ignore the advice to take folic acid and half of pregnancies are unplanned anyway. The solution ? force everybody to take folic acid.

I can?t help but think in five years time the headline will be ?Folic Acid causes Pilsbury Syndrome? or some such and it will be removed again.

Whatever ? it is surely a slippery slope to mass medication and I?m not sure that it?s a good thing.

[Bar Wench]

I was interested in the fact that they only intend to put it in white bread. Says it all really about the sort of person they believe takes risks about this sort of thing. It would appear that if you eat granary/wholemeal etc then you are a responsible woman who will take folic acid anyway! Another case of nannyism for those who can't be trusted to think for themselves. If they can't get it together to deal with these things then FFS insit on the sodding implants to stop them getting up the spout in the first place!

[Darwins Selection]

I was interested in the fact that they only intend to put it in white bread. Says it all really about the sort of person they believe takes risks about this sort of thing. It would appear that if you eat granary/wholemeal etc then you are a responsible woman who will take folic acid anyway! Another case of nannyism for those who can't be trusted to think for themselves. If they can't get it together to deal with these things then FFS insit on the sodding implants to stop them getting up the spout in the first place!

Indeed.

I am in favour of putting contraceptives in Turkey Twizzlers by the same reasoning.

(Obviously I don't mean condoms )

[Bar Wench]

 

[Barman]

I was interested in the fact that they only intend to put it in white bread. Says it all really about the sort of person they believe takes risks about this sort of thing. It would appear that if you eat granary/wholemeal etc then you are a responsible woman who will take folic acid anyway! Another case of nannyism for those who can't be trusted to think for themselves. If they can't get it together to deal with these things then FFS insit on the sodding implants to stop them getting up the spout in the first place!

Yes, quite bizarre nanny stateism ? it really could be an April 1st story couldn?t it?

And why is it going to add 2p to a loaf of bread FFS?  

[Bar Wench]

Because folic acid isn't cheap! Have you seen the price of a bottle of the bloody stuff!

[Barman]

Because folic acid isn't cheap! Have you seen the price of a bottle of the bloody stuff!

I doubt that the average bakery will be popping down to Boots to buy a little bottle and grind the pills up tho. 

[Bar Wench]

True but even so. 

[Barman]

True but even so. 

Even so... what? 

[Bar Wench]

It is still "added value" and as such the price is bound to increase. It's like you don't get a donut with sprinkles for the same price as a plain donut. The sprinkles are "added value". 

[Nick]

I heard about this on the radio earlier. It is to prevent kids being born with spina bifida, amongst other things. How many? 250 a year, IIRC. OK. So why do I have to take it too? And everyone who has finished having kids or doesn't want to have them in the first place.

Mass medication. I can, though, see the argument for fluoridation of water, since we ALL have teeth (as far as I know)

[Snoopy]

They intend to put it in the flour ~ so home bread makers like us will be caught too!
Plus those who do not eat bread but eat cakes, pies, anything that requires flour unless it is wholemeal ~ note wholemeal not brown bread. Brown bread and for that matter most supermarket wholemeal is made with flour that is "cut" with plain white flour anyway. Very few bakers use 100% whole meal flour.
Christ on a bike! I beginning to sound like Squidward! What have you done to me?

[Nick]

I make a lot of Spelt Bread at present, and use Spelt flour for other things too (will bring a fruit loaf when I visit), wonder if they are bunging it in all types of flour. Rye, for example.

[Darwins Selection]

Mass medication. I ca, though, see the argument for fluoridation of water, since we ALL have teeth (as far as I know)

What about putting TB vaccine in bread (or Yams or Chapatis) would that be beneficial as we 'locals' all get the BCG jab?

Putting Ritalin or Cyanide in Special Brew would also get my vote.

[Nick]