Defra launches bread and flour consultation in the UK

A public consultation on updating the 1998 Bread and Flour Regulations has been launched in the UK, with consumers, millers and bakers, retailers and regulators from all four nations of the UK having their say. The 12-week consultation, which launched on 1 September, is being led by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), in collaboration with The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Wales and Northern Ireland (NI). The consultation seeks views on proposals to make adjustments to the nutrients currently added to non-wholemeal wheat flour, and the addition of folic acid, with the aim of improving public health outcomes for Scotland and the wider UK population. The addition of folic acid to help reduce the incidence of foetal neural tube defects follows a previous consultation and an agreement by the Scottish Government, UK Government and devolved administrations in Wales and Northern ...