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Bread and flour to be fortified with folic acid to prevent birth defects
New legislation has been introduced that will help prevent around 200 cases of brain and spine defects in babies each year in the UK by fortifying non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid.
The legislation requires millers and flour producers in the UK to fortify non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid by the end of 2026.
Folic acid deficiency is a leading cause of neural tube defects in babies, including spina bifida. Increasing a woman’s intake of folic acid can help prevent these serious and debilitating conditions.
Flour is already fortified with calcium, niacin, thiamine and iron to improve public health. The move to include folic acid could help to reduce neural tube defects by 20% in the UK and improve the health of pregnant women.
Ian McWatt, Deputy Chief Executive of Food Standards Scotland (FSS), commented: “Fortifying flour with essential nutrients is a straightforward yet impactful way to help reduce neural tube defects.
“For decades, fortified flour has strengthened public health, and these new regulations aim to give children across the nation a healthier start.
“Over the next two years, manufacturers will have time to adjust both the composition and labelling of their products, ensuring a smooth transition.”
Food Standards Scotland and the Scottish Government will continue to engage with the food industry to support them to implement the changes, which will apply to the whole of the UK. Legislation has been laid in England and Northern Ireland, and Wales intend to lay similar legislation soon.
Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said:
Cumbernauld Farmers Market is back with a new indoor venue for Christmas!
Cumbernauld Farmers Market is back with a bang on Saturday 7th December! This special Christmas-themed extravaganza is taking place at a new winter indoor venue, the Antonine Shopping Centre!
- Cumbernauld Farmers Market
- Saturday 7th December 2024
- 9am - 4pm
- Antonine Shopping Centre, Cumbernauld.
Come along and get all your Christmas shopping done under one roof! Shop the wide array of stalls selling a range of fabulous gifts, home accessories and artisan produce from 9am – 4pm. Special guests like Eric the Christmas Elf will even be popping in for photo opportunities with children (and adults)!
Doreen, the Community Champion at Tesco Craigmarloch, will be holding a special raffle on the day. Tickets will be available for £1 per strip and the prize is a £500 voucher to spend in-store at Tesco on your Christmas shopping.
Cumbernauld Farmers Market is organised by local charity Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland (SBH Scotland). It combines community spirit and culinary excellence with a charitable cause and encourages everyone to shop local.
Minister praises innovative spina bifida service “helping disabled young people grow”
Natalie Don, Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise visited the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh on Wednesday to find out more about a project run by NHS Lothian and Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus (SBH) Scotland.
NHS Lothian’s Spina Bifida Transition Clinic, delivered in partnership with SBH Scotland, brings together all the services needed to enable a young person’s transition from paediatric to adult care and facilitate wider support with transition into adulthood. The Transition Clinic is the only fully integrated clinic of its kind for people with spina bifida in Scotland.
The Minister met with young people and families who benefit from the services provided by the Transition Clinic. Also in attendance were Dr Kamath Tallur, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist and the NHS Lothian team, Lawrence Cowan, CEO of SBH Scotland, and Dr Margo Whiteford CBE, Chair of SBH Scotland.
At the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, the Minister heard firsthand from Jeanette Smith, whose daughter Lucy Abeels, 16, has spina bifida and hydrocephalus, on the positive impact the Transition Clinic has had. She also heard from Louise Macdiarmid whose son Louis, 14, has spina bifida.
A Christmas Appeal making sure families get support at the most challenging of times
Last year little Amber McRae wasn’t able to spend Christmas with her family. Instead, she spent six weeks in hospital after undergoing gruelling and risky skull expansion surgery. Amber has spina bifida and hydrocephalus and the surgery was the last chance to try and bring down the pressure in her head caused by hydrocephalus and save her life.
SBH Scotland helped to support the family as they navigated this incredibly difficult time. Now Leanne and Amber are teaming up with the charity to launch a Christmas Appeal to raise funds to support other families going through the same thing this year.
Last Christmas, Amber was in hospital with her mum Leanne by her side. Although her dad Paul and her big sister Laila visited daily, it was heartbreaking for Leanne to watch them leave each day and for the family to be apart at this special time of year.
The family was terrified that Amber might not make it:
“I was shaken to the core,” recalls Leanne. “It was a really high-risk operation and there was no guarantee that she would survive it, but at that point we had run out of options.”
Celebrating the return of Gordon Ramsay Restaurants’ festive fundraiser in Edinburgh
Gordon Ramsay Restaurants’ venues in Edinburgh have welcomed the return of their ‘GReat Donate’ festive fundraiser, which raises money for Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus (SBH) Scotland.
Charity CEO, Lawrence Cowan took charity mascot, Spiney the Diney, along on Wednesday 30th October for a special campaign launch at Gordon Ramsay Restaurants’ Bread Street Kitchen & Bar on St Andrew’s Square to celebrate the return of the ‘GReat Donate’ fundraiser.
The fundraiser which sees a voluntary £1 donation being added to diner’s bills was first launched during the 2022 festive season, and it will run again this year from the 1st November until the end of December 2024.
The fundraiser has been a great success so far, with generous customers of Gordon Ramsay Street Burger and Bread Street Kitchen & Bar raising a staggering £10,641 last festive season alone.
Gordon Ramsay became SBH Scotland’s first ever Honorary Patron back in 2003 when he met the organisation’s Chairperson, Dr Margo Whiteford CBE, at the Great North Run, and has continued to support the charity for over 20 years.
Gordon Ramsay said;
“Tana and I are delighted to continue our support of SBH Scotland. A charity so dedicated and connected to their community. The teams across Bread Street Kitchen and Street Burger Edinburgh are really proud to get behind the £1 on the bill initiative, helping to raise much needed funds for this incredible charity.”
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