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Source: ONE News -
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A range of breads fortified with folic acid and bought on a voluntary basis is favoured by the Government and bakers.
After the dust had settled on Monday on the controversial decision to defer mandatory fortification, the Association of Bakers announced it was holding a "bread summit" and said it had repeatedly offered to extend the range of breads containing the additive.
"New Zealanders appreciate the Government preserving their right to choose what they consume in their bread," said association president Laurie Powell.
"The prime minister was crystal clear in his public message to bread makers about what he expects of us and we heed that message."
Mr Powell said the bread summit would give members an opportunity to discuss the issue.
Prime Minister John Key said he knew about the bread summit.
"If we ultimately see a range of breads that include folic acid, delivered on a voluntary basis, maybe at a higher level of fortification ... then that might be a very positive outcome," he said.
"We may well have a voluntary code that works well, and we can use the next three years to consider the issue on a wider basis."
The previous Labour government signed up to a joint food standard with Australia to use the additive, shown to reduce the risk of babies being born with defects such as spina bifida.
It was to be mandatory in all bread from September but bakers said it was "mass medication" which would be costly and ineffective because women would need to eat at least 11 slices a day to get any benefit from it.
The organisation representing parents with children suffering from spina bifida was horrified by the deferral.
Spokesman Lyall Thurston said more than 35 babies a year were born with NTDs (neural tube defects), with 20 or more terminated.
He said the campaign against mandatory fortification had been based entirely on misinformation.
The Government is going through legal steps required under the trans-Tasman agreement and will issue a discussion document on Wednesday putting forward three options: the status quo, complete revocation, or deferral for three years.
Mr Key has said a three-year deferral is the Government's preferred option.
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