Finding Folic Acid Made Easier

Consuming at least 400 micrograms of this B vitamin daily before conception and in the early weeks of pregnancy helps prevent the defects.

By Maureen Healy

Neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida have declined 26 percent in the decade since federal officials required food manufacturers to begin supplementing grain products with folic acid, the synthetic form of folate. Consuming at least 400 micrograms of this B vitamin daily before conception and in the early weeks of pregnancy helps prevent the defects. To mark the 10th anniversary of the federal mandate, the March of Dimes and the Grain Foods Foundation teamed up to create a seal that helps consumers identify the fortified foods. The seal will be phased in gradually, appearing initially on enriched white breads.

From April/May 2008