Persistent circulating unmetabolised folic acid in a setting of liberal voluntary folic acid fortification. Implications for further mandatory fortification?

Table 1 Fasted Group.

Mothers	RCF (nM/L)	PFOL (nM/L)	PFA (nM/L)	% PFA/PFOL	FA intake daily (μg)	Cord-sample	PFA (nM/L)
Mean	1063.10	29.83	0.39	1.31	404.35	Mean	0.27
S.D.	506.15	19.57	0.325		310.77	S.D.	0.15
Median	945.00	21.42	0.290		297.5	Median	0.28
Minimum	278.00	6.56	0.00		82.0	Minimum	0.00
Maximum	2180.00	70.18	1.34		1321.00	Maximum	0.60

Mean red cell folate, plasma total folate and unmetabolised folic acid concentrations in the mothers (n = 20) and cord-blood group (n = 20).
RCF – Red cell folate
PFOL – Plasma total folate
PFA – Plasma folic acid
%PFA/PFOL – percentage of plasma folic acid to plasma folate
Cord-blood total folate analysis was not possible due to insufficient sample.

ISSN: 1471-2458