Overview
- Took effect January 1 under AB 1830, covering corn masa products manufactured, sold, distributed, or used as ingredients in California.
- Sets fortification at 0.7 mg folic acid per pound of corn masa flour and 0.4 mg per pound of wet masa, with clear labeling and no change to taste or texture expected.
- Exempts small and artisanal producers, including restaurants and on‑site tortillerías that make tortillas from scratch.
- Public health data from California show only 28% of Latina women took folic acid before pregnancy versus 46% of white women, a gap linked to higher neural tube defect rates.
- Major producers such as Gruma/Mission Foods already fortify and support the rule, and Alabama has approved a similar law set to begin in June 2026.