Fortification of foods with folic acid and iodine

Last year, Food standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) made two key proposals for the mandatory fortification of foods in Australia with folic acid and iodine.1,2 In the case of folic acid, the goal is to increase the folic acid intake of women of child bearing age in order to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs) such as spina bifi da and related birth defects. Fortifi cation of foods with iodine aims to increase the intake of this nutrient by women of child bearing age, and of children to reduce the prevalence of iodine deficiency (including goitre and impaired intellectual development).