G/TBT/N/NZL/89  
2 October 2019  
(19-6358) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  NEW ZEALAND   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Ministry for Primary Industries  
Charles Fergusson Tower  
34-38 Bowen St  
Wellington 6140.  
Tel: +64 4 830 1574  
E-mail: Food.Policy@mpi.govt.nz   
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if av ailable) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Wheat or 
meslin flour (HS 1101); Bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits and other bakers' wares, whether 
or not containing cocoa; communion wafers, empty cac hets of a kind suitable for 
pharmaceutical use, sealing wafers, rice paper and similar products (HS 1905)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Folic acid 
fortification: increasing folic acid availability in food  
6. Description of content:  The New Zealand Government is considering changes to 
increase folic acid availability in food to further reduce neural tube defects such as spina 
bifida. Foli c acid is the synthetic form of the B vitamin folate. Currently a voluntary 
approach applies.  
The consultation document seeks feedback on (1) continuing with the current voluntary 
approach; (2) asking industry to enhance voluntary fortification of package d sliced bread; 
and introducing mandatory fortification of all non -organic (3a) bread, (3b) wheat flour for 
bread -making purposes, or (3c) wheat flour regardless of its end purpose.  
Under the mandatory folic acid fortification options, non -organic importe d products (bread 
under option 3a, wheat flour for making -bread under option 3b, and wheat flour under 
option 3c) would also have to comply with the mandatory fortification requirements.  
Similarly under the mandatory folic acid fortification options, non -organic exported 
products (bread under option 3a, wheat flour for making -bread under option 3b, and 
wheat flour under option 3c) may contain folic acid provided it is permitted in the 
destination country and meets commercial requirements.  G/TBT/N/NZL/89  
 
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  There is no inter national standard for folic acid fortification. The options provided in the 
consultation document adhere to Codex's  general principles for the addition of essential 
nutrients to food.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems whe re 
applicable:  The objective of the proposal is to protect human health by increasing the 
consumption of food containing folic acid by women of childbearing age, thereby reducing 
the number of pregnancies affected by neural tube defects, while considering consumer 
choice, increasing equity of health outcomes, and minimising impacts on industry. There 
is overwhelming evidence that sufficient folic acid before conception and during early 
pregnancy can prevent many cases of neural tube defects. The rate of neu ral tube defects 
in New Zealand is higher than countries where folic acid fortification is mandatory (such 
as the United States, Canada and Australia) and has been shown to significantly decrease 
the rate of neural tube defects. Over 80 countries have intr oduced mandatory fortification 
of food staples such as flour or cereals. There is no consistent evidence that folic acid, 
when fortified in food at the recommended level, has any harmful health effects . 
8. Relevant documents:   
The consultation page with all the documents are available here: 
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/news -and-resources/consultations/review -of-folic-acid-
fortification  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Adoption 2020  
Proposed date of entry into force:  Entry into force 2022  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
The consultation page and all available documents can be found here: 
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/news -and-resources/consultations/review -of-folic-acid-
fortification