Flour could be required to be fortified with folic acid to reduce birth defects in Ireland, under a proposal being considered by Government.Folic acid is a man-made version of the vitamin folate, which can be used to treat folate deficiency anaemia and help an unborn baby’s brain, skull and spinal cord to develop properly.Neural tube defects can occur when the spinal cord does not develop properly during early pregnancy. These defects can include conditions such as spina bifida, anencephaly, encephalocele and iniencephaly.Ireland has a higher-than-average rate of occurrence of neural tube defects compared with the rest of Europe. Research has shown that sufficient folic acid intake may help reduce the incidence.Minister for Public Health Jennifer Murnane O’Connor on Monday launched an online public consultation seeking views on the mandatory fortification of non-wholemeal flour with folic acid.During this consultation, members of the public, the food industry and related businesses will be able to make submissions on the proposals, including how flour fortification with folic acid may affect their activities, along with input on any measures that could help businesses adapt to the new fortification requirements. Submissions received through this process will be considered and may be used to inform future policy and legislation regarding mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid, the department said.“Neural tube defects can have a profound impact on patients, their families and the health service,” Murnane O’Connor said.“People living with neural tube defects often face significant challenges in terms of impacts on health and disability, social inclusion and quality of life. “Research has shown that up to two-thirds of neural tube defects can be prevented by consuming folic acid before and during the early stages of pregnancy.”The Minister noted that women typically could not get enough folic acid through diet alone, adding that “fortified foods and folic acid supplements are needed to help reach the required levels”.Submissions can be made to the consultation over the next 12 weeks, before the closing date on October 5th.