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takyon writes:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will allow the voluntary fortification of corn masa flour with folic acid, which could reduce the occurrence of neural tube birth defects:

Foods made with corn masa flour — like tortillas, tacos and tamales — could soon play a critical role in the health of babies born to Latina mothers in the U.S. That's because, as of today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is now allowing manufacturers to fortify their corn masa foods with folic acid. That's a synthetic form of folate, a B vitamin that helps prevent severe defects of the brain and spinal cord when consumed by women early in pregnancy. "I think it will be really monumental for the Latino population," says Michael Dunn, a Brigham Young University food scientist.

Since 1988, the FDA has required that breads, pasta, breakfast cereals and other grains made with enriched flour be fortified with folic acid. In the years since, the number of babies born in the U.S. with neural tube defects has dropped by roughly 35 percent — or about 1,300 babies a year. But these birth defects remain "stubbornly higher" in the Hispanic community, says Dr. Edward McCabe, the chief medical officer at the March of Dimes. Researchers have suspected that the reason why might lie in tortillas and other foods made with corn masa flour – a dietary staple for many Hispanic families.

That's because until now, the FDA had banned fortification of products made with corn masa flour. The agency was concerned that the folic acid might not remain stable. Dunn led a study that helped change the FDA's mind. His research involved lengthy testing in the lab – as well as tests at a local facility making corn masa flour in Utah. He and his team found that the heat and production process doesn't significantly change the quantity of folic acid in a fortified product through its shelf life.

The FDA now says that manufacturers may voluntarily add up to 0.7 milligrams of folic acid per pound of corn masa.

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