A Major Revolution in California Food Policy

The public health law that California has passed recently requires the fortification of corn masa flour, the main ingredient in corn tortillas and other staple products, with folic acid, a B-vitamin that has been shown to reduce serious birth defects. This law was put into effect on January 1, 2026, thus making California the first state to require folic acid in these products, and not just rely on the voluntary fortification by the manufacturers.

State health officials are saying that the move is directed towards the enhancement of infant health outcomes in areas with high birth defect rates, particularly among the Latino population that consumes corn-based foods more frequently than other groups.

Why Folic Acid Matters

Folic acid is a nutrient that has been the subject of extensive research and its major benefit is in the prevention of neural tube defects, among which are spina bifida and anencephaly. The defects in question affect the central nervous system (the brain and the spinal cord) and can result in disabilities that last a lifetime. A pregnant woman who takes folic acid before conception and during the first trimester can reduce the chance of these defects occurring by as much as 70 % according to research.

The federal government has mandated folic acid fortification in many enriched grain products, including wheat flour, pasta, cereals, and rice, since 1998. The general population has significantly benefited from this measure in terms of reduced neural tube defects cases, however, corn masa flour products were not part of the requirement and thus the cultural foods typically consumed by Latinos are left with no protection from this gap.

Addressing Health Disparities

The data from California's public health indicate that Latinas are not as inclined as other women to use folic acid supplements before pregnancy. Over the period from 2017 to 2019, the state health department reported that about 28% of Latinas took folic acid during the month prior to pregnancy, whereas the figure was 46% among white women. This scenario makes Latina families more susceptible to having babies with neural tube defects.

 

With the addition of folic acid to corn masa products—like tortillas—state officials are confident that women will be reached earlier and more consistently than if supplements were the only method. California manufacturers are required to fortify flour with 0.7 milligrams of folic acid for every pound and to make a note of this change on nutrition labels. However, small producers that prepare their own masa, such as local tortillerias, are exempt.

Reactions to the Law

Public health champions and organizations such as the CDC and March of Dimes are in favor of this measure as a preventive health strategy. Besides, some national attempts in other states, like Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma, have already legislated or are pondering similar measures.

On the contrary, the law has been criticized by some conservative personalities, who term it as governmental intervention in personal choices. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. branded the mandate as "madness," asserting without any scientific backing that fortifying food might be harmful. Nevertheless, the experts from public health are on the side of folic acid being safe and effective in the long run, and the change would result in the sparing of dozens of lives each year.