The call for corn masa fortification

Compared to other racial and ethnic groups, Latine people in the United States face about 1.4 times higher rates of neural tube defects (NTDs) like spina bifida, which can cause mild to severe disabilities, and anencephaly, which results in stillbirth or infant death. Because consuming sufficient folic acid (a synthetic form of vitamin B9) before or during early pregnancy reduces the risk of having a baby with a NTD, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began encouraging manufacturers to add folic acid to staple foods like wheat flour, bread, and pasta in the 1990s.