This survey was commissioned by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority to inform a broad review of risk management options that aim to improve the blood folate status of women of child-bearing age. Inadequate intakes of folate and folic acid are associated with an increased risk of a woman having a child with a neural tube defect (NTD). A standard requiring the mandatory addition of folic acid to bread was to come into force in September 2009, but this has been deferred until May 2012 and voluntary provisions for the addition of folic acid to bread remain in place.

This research was commissioned by MPI to assess consumers’ attitudes and behaviours towards folic acid fortification. The objectives of the research were to find out about: bread consumption; attitudes towards fortification of bread with folic acid; attitudes towards fortification of food with vitamins and minerals; purchase intention with respect to products containing folic acid; and demographics. The survey contributes to the consumer section of the 2017 Monitoring and Evaluation Report.

The aim of the current project was to measure the levels of folate in a range of fortified food
types and to compare these levels to those of levels claimed in the nutrition information panel
(NIP) on the product labels, to underpin the development of food standards relating to
nutrient fortification.

The aim of the current project was to assess the levels of iron and folate in fortified foods and to compare levels to those claimed on product labels.

Summary of the iodine status of New Zealand adults using the 2014/15 New Zealand Health Survey (NZHS) data following mandatory fortification of bread with iodine in September 2009. MPI Technical – Paper No: 2016/32.

An examination of the blood folate status of women and the folic acid content of folic acid fortified breads carried out by the University of Otago for MAF between October 2010 and November 2011.