Since 1998, “enriched” flours, pastas, rice, and breads sold in the United States have been required to contain folic acid. The goal of this fortification policy is to help people who may become pregnant get enough vitamin B9 to prevent spina bifida and other neural tube defects in newborns.
In contrast, corn masa, the main ingredient in corn tortillas and other dietary staples of many Hispanic Americans, was not allowed to contain folic acid until 2016.
Since then, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (Nutrition Action’s publisher) has been fighting for corn masa fortification. In “Failure to Fortify,” a report published in 2023, CSPI found that most companies were still not fortifying their corn masa products and were thereby missing an opportunity to help cut the higher rates of devastating birth defects among Hispanic Americans.
Following publication of the report, Gruma, the largest US corn tortilla manufacturer, agreed to fortify its core brands by 2024. Our recent follow-up report found that Gruma not only lived up to its commitment, but also seems to have paved the way for other companies to also offer fortified corn masa products.
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Learn more about fortified corn masa products and public health at cspi.org/fortify.
But misinformation about the safety and benefits of folic acid threatens to undermine that progress.
Some believe (incorrectly) that people with a common gene variant can’t process folic acid. And genetic testing services and dietary supplement companies are capitalizing on that fiction to sell unnecessary, expensive, and potentially harmful products.
The folic acid deniers happen to have a champion with a big megaphone: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. In late 2025, Kennedy denounced a new law in California requiring corn masa fortification and spread false claims about the risks of folic acid.
Kennedy called California’s fortification law “insanity.” Of course, what’s insane is that our nation’s top health official is spreading misinformation and frightening people into avoiding a nutrient that has been proven to prevent birth defects and save babies’ lives.
CSPI applauds Gruma and the other companies that are offering fortified corn masa products. That’s a real health and human service.
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