As required by by food regulator Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), commencing in September 2009 all bread products (except organic breads and those not made from wheat flour) will be fortified with folic acid in Australia and iodine in Australia and New Zealand.

• Folic acid fortification applies only to bread in Australia. The New Zealand Government has deferred a mandatory folic acid fortification proposal for 3 years
• Iodine fortification applies to bread in both Australia and New Zealand

• Mandatory fortification

  Mandatory fortification is where food manufacturers are required to add a certain vitamin or mineral to a specified food or foods. Fortifying food with vitamins and minerals is not uncommon, for example manufacturers must already add vitamin D to margarine and thiamine to wheat flour.

• Voluntary fortification

  Voluntary fortification allows food manufacturers to choose what vitamins and minerals they want to add to food, providing they are permitted in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. For example, GWF’s Burgen Soy and Linseed bread has been fortified with folic acid for many years voluntarily. These products are specifically developed to target consumer needs while still allowing choice.

• Folic Acid

  FSANZ is introducing mandatory folic acid fortification to increase the folic acid intake of women planning to or who may become pregnant – to help protect the developing foetus against neural tube defects (NTDs), such as spina bifida.

• Iodine

  Iodine helps the thyroid produce thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolism. FSANZ is introducing mandatory iodine fortification to address the re-emergence of iodine deficiency across Australia and New Zealand.

The folic acid fortification Standard applies to all bread made from, or containing wheat flour in Australia and the iodine fortification Standard applies to all bread in Australia and New Zealand. Both Standards apply to supermarket bread and bakery bread.

Folic acid will be added to all wheat flour used for making bread in Australia, including plain, fancy and sweet breads and rolls, bagels, focaccia, English muffins, cakes, flat breads, crumpets, scones, pancakes, pikelets, crepes, yeast donuts, pizza bases and crumbed products. As such, all GWF bakery products will change – including Burgen®, Tip Top®, Noble Rise®, Golden®, Bazaar® and Abbott’s™ Village Bakery.

In addition, all non-iodised salt used in bread-making in Australia and New Zealand will be replaced with iodised salt. This means all GWF bakery products will also contain iodine – including Burgen®, Tip Top®, Noble Rise®, Golden®, Bazaar® and Abbott’s™ Village Bakery.

Check the ingredient listing on pack for more information or contact the manufacturer directly.

Manufacturers of organic bread, bread made from other cereal grains such as rice, corn and rye (provided they do not contain any wheat flour), and bread mixes for baking at home are not required to add folic acid or iodine.

However, these products may contain folic acid and iodine – check the ingredient listing on pack for more information or contact the manufacturer directly.

No; the addition of folic acid and iodine to GWF bakery products has no impact on the taste or texture.

There will be no immediate increase to the cost of GWF bakery products. We regularly review the cost of all our products, but there is not a set timetable for such assessments or any associated movement in our prices.

Some other products such as fruit juices or cereals may currently be fortified with folic acid or iodine on a voluntary basis – however the new mandatory fortification Standards applies only to bread. Check the ingredient listing on pack for more information or contact the manufacturer directly.

Folic acid will be added to all wheat flour used in bread-making in Australia, whilst all non-iodised salt used in bread-making in Australia and New Zealand will be replaced with iodised salt.

Fortifying food with vitamins and minerals is not uncommon, for example, manufacturers must already add vitamin D to margarine and thiamin to wheat flour used for making bread.

Manufacturers may choose to voluntarily fortify their products with particular nutrients, such as our Tip Top UP Omega 3 bread, which is fortified with Omega 3 for healthy brain and eyesight development.

Have a look around our website for further information about all our products and the variety offered to suit your daily nutrition needs.

FSANZ carried out safety assessments on folic acid and iodine fortification and has advised its fortification recommendations are based on the best available scientific evidence, consistent with international guidance and experience.

It is important to remember that this is general information only. It is not medical advice, and you shouldn't make any health decisions based on this information without first consulting your doctor or accredited practising dietitian for individual dietary advice.

GWF is currently rolling out packaging updates across all its products, to ensure the addition of folic acid and iodine is reflected.

On GWF products, folic acid and iodine will be included in the ingredient listing on pack and will appear as follows:

• Folic Acid: will be listed as ‘Vitamin Folate’ in the ingredient list

• Iodine: salt will be listed as ‘Iodised Salt’ in the ingredient list

For a complete list of GWF bakery products and their corresponding folic acid levels please click here.

For a complete list of GWF bakery products and their corresponding iodine levels please click here.

Note: unpackaged bread and bread that is made and/or packaged at the point of sale – such as bread from a bakery – is not required to have ingredient label information listed on pack, meaning you will need to ask for this information at the time of purchase.

Folate is a B group vitamin we all need for healthy growth and development, especially of our nervous systems. ‘Folate’ is the form that occurs naturally in food, such as green leafy vegetables and wholegrains. ‘Folic acid’ is the form used in supplements and is more readily absorbed than naturally-occurring folate.

Folic acid helps both adults and children produce healthy red blood cells and can help prevent anemia. It’s particularly important during times when cells are growing rapidly such as during pregnancy and infancy.

The amount of folic acid will vary from product to product due to different levels of wheat flour being used. For a full breakdown of the folic acid content in GWF bakery products, click here.

Folic acid is especially important for the healthy development of babies early in pregnancy. A baby’s growth is the most rapid in the first weeks of life – often before a woman is aware she is pregnant. The neural tube closes and fuses very early in pregnancy; if it doesn’t close, the result is a NTD such as spina bifida.

In Australia, women of child bearing age are advised to consume 400 micrograms (a microgram is a millionth of a gram) of folic acid a day to minimise the risk of their unborn child being affected by a NTD. Folic acid taken at recommended levels for at least one month before and three months after conception can prevent the occurrence of most NTDs.

In Australia, women of child bearing age are advised to consume 400 micrograms of folic acid a day to minimise the risk of their unborn child being affected by a NTD. Folic acid taken at recommended levels for at least one month before and three months after conception can prevent the occurrence of most NTDs.

It is important to note it is unlikely pregnant women will get enough folic acid from eating bread alone. For example, on average, eating two slices of Tip Top 9 Grain Original bread (74g) will provide you with 62 micrograms of folic acid, while eating two slices of Tip Top Sunblest White Sandwich Bread (60g) will provide you with 73 micrograms of folic acid.

As such, pregnant women may require folic acid supplements and should speak to their healthcare professional for more information and to ensure they are getting enough folic acid daily.

Click here for more information on folic acid intake during pregnancy from FSANZ.

It is important to remember that this is general information only. It is not medical advice, and you shouldn't make any health decisions based on this information without first consulting your doctor or accredited practising dietitian for individual dietary advice.

Your recommended daily intake (RDI) of folic acid varies depending on a number of factors such as your age, gender, diet and lifestyle. Some examples are provided below:

If you are concerned you're not getting the right amount of folic acid as part of a healthy balanced diet, in discussion with your healthcare professional you may consider taking a dietary supplement.

It is important to remember that this is general information only. It is not medical advice, and you shouldn't make any health decisions based on this information without first consulting your doctor or accredited practising dietitian for individual dietary advice.

Folate is found naturally in a number of foods such as green leafy vegetables and wholegrains. Some other foods such as fruit juices and cereals are voluntarily fortified with folic acid – check the ingredient listing on pack for more information or contact the manufacturer directly.

For more information on folic acid fortication from FSANZ click here.

Iodine is a mineral that occurs naturally in foods such as seafood, iodised salt, dairy products and some vegetables.

The thyroid, a small butterfly shaped gland in the neck, needs iodine to produce thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolism. The thyroid gland also helps with energy use.

The amount of iodine will vary from product to product due to different levels of iodised salt being used. For a full breakdown of the iodine content in GWF bakery products, click here.

In children, especially young children and the developing foetus, thyroid hormones help regulate physical and mental development.

In Australia, pregnant women are advised to consume 220 micrograms of iodine a day.

It is important to note it is unlikely pregnant women will get enough iodine from eating bread alone. For example, on average, eating two slices of Tip Top 9 Grain Original bread (74g) will provide you with 33 micrograms of iodine, while eating two slices of Tip Top Sunblest White Sandwich Bread (60g) will provide you with 28 micrograms of iodine.

As such, pregnant women may require iodine supplements and should speak to their healthcare professional for more information and to ensure they are getting enough iodine daily.

Click here for more information on iodine intake during pregnancy from FSANZ.

It is important to remember that this is general information only. It is not medical advice, and you shouldn't make any health decisions based on this information without first consulting your doctor or accredited practising dietitian for individual dietary advice.

Your recommended daily intake (RDI) of iodine varies depending on a number of factors such as your age, gender, diet and lifestyle. Some examples are provided below:

If you are concerned you're not getting the right amount of iodine as part of a healthy balanced diet, in discussion with your healthcare professional you may consider taking a dietary supplement.

It is important to remember that this is general information only. It is not medical advice, and you shouldn't make any health decisions based on this information without first consulting your doctor or accredited practising dietitian for individual dietary advice.

Iodine is found naturally in a number of foods such as dairy products, seafood, kelp, eggs, some vegetables and iodised salt, but much of the Australian and New Zealand food supply is low in iodine.

Iodine supplements are also available from most pharmacies and supermarkets; however before taking any dietary supplement you should consult your healthcare professional about whether it’s appropriate for you.

It is important to remember that this is general information only. It is not medical advice, and you shouldn't make any health decisions based on this information without first consulting your doctor or accredited practising dietitian for individual dietary advice.

For more information on iodine fortication from FSANZ click here.