Fresno assemblymember wants folic acid added to corn masa, help maternal health
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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Changes could be coming to the ingredients in many products made with corn masa, like tortillas and corn chips.
Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula has authored Assembly Bill 1830. And if passed, it’ll require products like tortillas sold in California to contain folic acid.
Why is California adding folic acid to corn masa flour?
It is a nutrient that is crucial for pregnant women and prevents serious birth defects in babies like spinal bifida and other brain and spinal cord issues.
“When we identify that there are disparities and deficiencies, we also should feel that responsibility to make sure that we’re coming up with policies and laws that will address those disparities,” Arambula said.
He says public health data shows Latina women are not getting enough folic acid, compared to women in other ethnic groups.
One of the reasons why could be linked to diet.
Foods made with corn masa are not fortified with folic acid. Many other foods like bread, pasta, cereals, and enriched flours have been federally mandated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to contain folic acid since 1998. Mexico has even required corn masa to be fortified with the nutrient.
“We don’t have a culturally appropriate way for us to be able to have this folic acid into people’s diets prior to them becoming pregnant,” Arambula said, adding that AB 1830 could change that.
He says it is cheap to add to food, but will save on overall healthcare costs. Arambula also says because of the size and buying power of the state of California, making this a requirement, could likely shift the industry in the entire country, potentially benefitting women across state lines.
The bill outlines the specific amounts of folic acid that would be required and also requires labeling on product nutrition labels.
Family and maternal medicine provider at UCSF Fresno Dr. Banujan Balachandran says folic acid is one of the most important nutrients for all people- not just pregnant women.
He says many do not take prenatal vitamins before getting pregnant, increasing the chances of serious birth defects or even devastating losses during pregnancy.
“A lot of the formation of the baby is happening within the first eight weeks of life, so when they’re not getting enough adequate intake, of that folic acid, that ends up creating all of these neural tube defects, and genetic abnormalities that could have been prevented,” he said.
