Folic acid
folic acid, folate, vitamin B9, vitamin B-9, pteroylmonoglutamic acid, folacin, ácido fólico, folato, acide folique, Folsäure, acido folico
What it is
Folic acid is vitamin B9. When it appears on a food label, it has normally been added to enrich or fortify the product with this vitamin.
Why BOTIA flags it
In an intervention with around 247,831 women who took 400 µg of folic acid a day around conception, neural tube defects in the baby fell by between 41% and 85% depending on the region.
BOTIA CAN
- Detect folic acid, folate and vitamin B9 when they are declared on the label.
- Explain what the intervention found and show the Woman information layer.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Determine how much folic acid a food contains when the amount is not declared.
- Tell anyone whether to take folic acid, or replace advice from a doctor or a midwife.