California mandates folic acid in tortillas

Tortillas sold in California are going to have a new ingredient, one that’s intended to help nurture infants.

- BY ANA B. IBARRA

Starting Thursday, a new law will take effect requiring most tortillas and corn masa products sold in the state to contain folic acid, a vitamin that’s important to infant health.

Latinas in California are far less likely than other women to get enough folic acid early in pregnancy — a gap that can lead to life-altering birth defects.

State data show that between 2017 and 2019 — the latest years for which state data are available — about 28% of Latinas reported taking folic acid the month before becoming pregnant. White women took the vitamin at a higher rate, with 46% of them reporting consuming folic acid, according to the California Department of Public Health.