California’s new law: Folic acid made mandatory in Tortilla Production

Ema Alice: A plethora of different state laws will take effect when the clock strikes midnight in California, and one such enacted bill involves a staple of the local culture.

Assembly Bill 1830 requires that corn masa flour, the primary ingredient in corn tortillas, must contain a specified amount of folic acid beginning Jan. 1, 2026.

The bill’s passage comes as Latino communities face disproportionately higher rates of severe birth defects that happen during early pregnancy. According to the law, folic acid fortification of corn masa flour and wet corn masa products can lower the rate of certain birth defects, specifically neural tube defects, which could result in saving lives and ultimately tax dollars.

Section 2 of the bill states: “Corn masa flour manufactured, sold, delivered, distributed, held, offered for sale, or used as an ingredient in the manufacture of a food product shall contain folic acid at a level of 0.7 milligrams of folic acid per pound of corn masa flour within an acceptable industry standard deviation of error.”

The bill also applies to wet corn masa, which must contain 0.04 milligrams of folic acid per pound of end product.

Both masa products will also include a declaration of folic acid on the nutrition label and a declaration that the product contains corn masa flour or was manufactured through a wet corn masa manufacturing process.

The bill passed unanimously, 77-0, and was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 28, 2024.

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