3 April 2007

Greens welcome folate exemption for organic breads

Green Party Health Spokesperson Sue Kedgley has welcomed the decision by food safety authorities to finally heed the call to exempt organic breads from mandatory fortification with folic acid.

"While the Greens are generally supportive of the health related reasons for fortifying bread with folate, we have been calling for well over six months now for Food Safety Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to exempt organic breads from this requirement.

"Customers who don't want to eat bread with artificial folate added should retain that choice. It is heartening to see that FSANZ acknowledge in its report that consumers 'expect that foods labeled 'organic', or 'certified organic' have ingredients derived from living organisms, without the use of chemical fertilizers and/or pesticides ' - and therefore, such foods should not contain synthetic vitamins, such as folic acid.

"The Greens welcome this concession to common sense. We strongly believe the same logic should now be extended to artisanal breads as well," Ms Kedgley says. .

ENDS

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