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4w ago

California Mandates Folic Acid in Most Tortillas and Corn Masa Products Starting Jan. 1, 2026

The requirement seeks to raise folic acid intake to reduce neural tube defects that disproportionately affect Latina families.

Mexican women cook tortillas on the comal in a tortillería on November 5, 2022 in Morelia, Mexico. Tortillas are an essential element in the Mexican cuisine and has been part of the culture in Mesoamerica since thousand of years.
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Overview

  • AB 1830 requires mass-produced packaged masa harina, tortillas and other corn masa products sold in California stores to be fortified with folic acid.
  • The statute sets 0.7 milligrams of folic acid per pound for corn masa flour and includes a separate provision for wet masa products.
  • Small, mom-and-pop tortilla makers are exempt, while large manufacturers must comply beginning January 1, 2026.
  • The bill passed unanimously in the Legislature and was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, and companies such as Mission Foods already fortify and support the mandate.
  • Officials cite lower pre-pregnancy folic acid use among Latinas and higher neural tube defect rates as the rationale, even as some critics warn of possible taste changes.