Topics: Life, Explained, Food and Drink, US News, Health
It's nothing new that governments and health bodies across the globe have been implementing a number of laws and restrictions when it comes to what we eat.
And one of those many pieces of legislation, which now affects those who reside Stateside in California, has been dubbed the 'tortilla law' - but what on earth does this actually mean?
Well, the new law is all to do with, you guessed it, corn tortillas and the products made from them.
From 1 January 2026, Assembly Bill 1830 now requires corn masa flour - AKA the primary ingredient in corn tortillas - to contain a specified amount of folic acid. Wet corn masa products are also included.
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Such a move has come about following more and more evidence that certain communities, particularly those whose diets rely more heavily on corn-based staples, have not benefited equally from existing fortification policies.
For context, fortification is the practice of adding vitamins or minerals to commonly eaten foods to address population-wide deficiencies.
But what does folic acid do? Well, WebMD explains: "Folate and folic acid are forms of vitamin B9 used for deficiency and to prevent pregnancy complications. Many foods contain folate or have folic acid added."
The history dates back decades, as, since 1988, folic acid has been added by law to many wheat-based products in the US, including bread and pasta.
However, corn masa flour was not part of that original mandate.
"Corn masa flour manufactured, sold, delivered, distributed, held, offered for sale, or used as an ingredient in the manufacture of a food product shall contain folic acid at a level of 0.7 milligrams of folic acid per pound of corn masa flour within an acceptable industry standard deviation of error," the official legislation states, as per Fox 5 San Diego.
Wet corn masa must contain 0.04 milligrams per pound of end product.
Backers of the new law highlight the higher rates of severe birth defects, especially neural tube defects that develop in the earliest weeks of pregnancy.
Getting enough folic acid before conception and during early pregnancy has been shown to cut the risk of these conditions significantly.
Along with the formulation changes, the law also requires clearer labelling.
Products must clearly list folic acid on their nutrition labels and specify whether they include corn masa flour or were made using a wet corn masa process.
The bill sailed through with a 77-0 vote and became law when Governor Gavin Newsom signed it in September 2024.
Shoppers probably won’t notice any change in taste or appearance, but lawmakers say the long-term benefits could be substantial, helping prevent serious health issues and easing future healthcare costs.
