Senator Grant Tambling
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Aged Care
Tuesday, 23 February 1999
Check out new health campaign for women in supermarkets
An important new health campaign alerting women to the benefits of folate before and during pregnancy to reduce the risk of a spina bifida baby began in major supermarkets today.
Launching the Folate—make it part of your day campaign in Melbourne, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Aged Care, Senator the Hon Grant Tambling, said the campaign would make it easier for women to make folate-friendly food choices while shopping—a simple step that could make all the difference.
'While many women know why they need to take folate, many are unsure how to shop for folate-rich foods,' he said.
Foods high in the B vitamin folate include fresh fruits such as oranges, many vegetables, particularly green leafy vegetables, fruit juices, legumes, nuts, and yeast extracts. Folate is also in some processed food products such as breads and breakfast cereals and can be taken as a tablet.
'For a limited time, shoppers will be able to pick up brochures on folate in Coles stores nationally and in Woolworths stores in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, the ACT, Queensland, and South Australia,' Senator Tambling said. 'A folate poster will also be displayed in stores.'
'The brochure will also be on the ANZFA website ( www.foodstandards.gov.au ) so consumers can quickly access this vital health information.
'As well as foods carrying the folate health claim, Woolworths and Coles will have information cards in their fresh fruit and vegetable departments identifying foods that are high in folate.
'The vital take-home message for all women is:Folate—make it part of
your day,' Senator Tambling said.
'From now on, shoppers will start seeing more and more foods carrying the folate health claim on supermarket shelves.
'This is a landmark initiative as never before have foods been allowed to carry a health claim,' Senator Tambling said.
Under a pilot project conducted by the Australia New Zealand Food Authority, participating companies can carry a health claim on their foods which links folate with a reduction in neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
'We know that up to two thirds of neural tube defects can be prevented by women having enough folate before and during pregnancy,' Senator Tambling said.
'Folate isn't a magic cure-all for spina bifida as spina bifida babies will still be born but it's a preventative health step that women can easily take.'
More than 100 foods have been approved by the Australia New Zealand Food Authority to carry the folate health claim. Companies participating in the pilot include the Australian Avocado Growers Federation, Australian Citrus Growers Inc, Australian Egg Industry Association, the Australian Food & Grocery Council, Australian Mushroom Growers Association, Australian Vegetable and Potato Growers Federation, Berri, George Weston Foods, Golden Circle, Goodman Fielder, Giant Tree Foods, Kelloggs, Lowan, National Foods, Sanitarium, Uncle Tobys, and Ward McKenzie.
'I would also like to pay tribute to the Horticultural Research and Development Corporation for their strong support and financial assistance to the fresh food sector enabling them to be active participants in this important initiative,' Senator Tambling said.
The overall success of the folate health claim will be evaluated before widescale approval of other health claims on food products is considered.