Folic acid is to be added to non-wholemeal flour in the north in a bid to boost the health of newborn babies.
The move, which is being carried out across the UK, is aimed at protecting newborns from serious brain and spine problems.
The changes to the Bread and Flour Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998 legislation will come into effect from 2026.
Stormont Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “This approach has been adopted in over 80 countries world-wide and the benefits are well documented. The fortification of non-wholemeal wheat flour is expected to prevent around 200 cases of debilitating brain and spine defects in babies in the United Kingdom per year.”
He added that his department will “continue to work closely with the Food Standards Agency and other stakeholders in preparation for the measures coming into effect”.
The north’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Michael McBride, said: “Folic acid deficiency is a leading cause of neural tube defects, which can cause a large number of serious and debilitating conditions to babies in the womb, including spina bifida. These changes will aim to reduce the incidence of Neural Tube Defect (NTD) affected pregnancies by increasing dietary intake of folic acid for women who could become pregnant.”
