For several years the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been discussing the compulsory adding of folic acid to bread, allegedly to prevent "birth defects".

Now, it seems they want to go ahead and force everyone to eat bread with added folic acid.

They claim that there will be a "consultation", but anyone who remembers the FSA "debate" on GM food will know that they have already decided on the outcome...

The arguments against compulsorily adding folic acid are:

* People should be able to make a choice about whether they eat products with added folic acid or not

* People who want to consume additional folic acid can do so through food supplements or by eating natural foods containing folic acid

* There should be no "enforced mass medication" - adding folic acid can be compared with the proposed fluoridation of water - in both cases there are dubious "benefits" and well-known side-effects

* Enforced mass medication is a violation of our human rights

* The "target group" for this is a small percentage of the population: pregnant mothers

* Excessive folic acid masks vitamin B12 deficiency in older people

* This time they want to add folic acid. What will it be next time? Soma? ( see  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soma_(Huxley) )

Say NO to enforced mass medication, reject this proposal.

Tell these people that you don't want added folic acid in your bread:

Food Standards Agency

John Harwood, Chief Executive
 john.harwood@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Gill Fine, Director of Consumer Choice and Dietary Health
 gill.fine@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Richard Harding, Head of the FSA’s Consumer Choice, Food Standards and Special Projects Division
 richard.harding@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Tell the Food Standards Agency that you don't want "mass medication" of the food supply.

Your MP

 http://www.writetothem.com/ and  http://www.faxyourmp.com

Federation of Bakers

Gordon Poulson, Director
 gordon.polson@bakersfederation.org.uk

Tell Gordon Poulson that you won't eat bread which contains "mass medication" in the form of added folic acid.

Reference

 http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2006/apr/folatehealth