Folic Acid in Flour – What Is Changing and Which Flours Are Affected?

You may have heard about changes to UK flour regulations. From 13 December 2026, folic acid will become a required addition to most non-wholemeal common wheat flour.

We have had a few questions from customers about this and there seems to be some confusion about which flours will actually be affected.

Daily Bread is not taking a position on whether adding folic acid is a good or bad thing. Our aim is simply to give customers clear information and choice. This is different from our policy on GMOs, which we do not stock.

Importantly, folic acid will not be added to every type of flour.

Which flour will have folic acid added?

The requirement mainly applies to non-wholemeal flour made from common or bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), including:

• White wheat flour

• Brown wheat flour

• Other non-wholemeal common wheat flours

These flours are already generally fortified under UK regulations with nutrients including calcium, iron, thiamin (vitamin B1) and niacin. Folic acid will be added to this list from December 2026.

What about wholemeal flour?

Wholemeal flour is exempt from the requirement to add folic acid.

So if you prefer wholemeal flour, the new requirement will not apply. Daily Bread stocks a wide range of wholemeal flours.

What other flours are not affected?

The requirement does not generally apply to flour made from grains or plants other than common bread wheat, so there will still be plenty of alternatives available.

Spelt and other alternative wheats

These include:

• Spelt – including white spelt flour

• Einkorn

• Durum wheat, used for semolina and traditional pasta

Daily Bread stocks a number of these alternatives.

Other cereal flours

These include:

• Rye

• Barley

• Oat

• Corn or maize

• Millet*

• Rice

• Teff

*There are currently some supply issues with millet flour.

Gluten-free and other alternative flours

These include:

• Chickpea or gram flour

• Buckwheat flour

• Almond flour

• Coconut flour

• Chestnut flour

• Tapioca flour

Commercial gluten-free flour blends are also outside the requirement where they are not made from common wheat.

Will it change how flour bakes?

For most people, nothing should change in the kitchen.

The addition of folic acid should not significantly affect how flour behaves, so bread, cakes and other baking should rise, taste and bake in the same way.

The main visible difference will be on the ingredients and nutritional information on the packaging.

There will still be plenty of choice

Although most standard white and brown common wheat flour will contain added folic acid from December 2026, there will still be many alternatives for customers who prefer flour without mandatory fortification.

These include wholemeal flour, white and wholemeal spelt, rye, einkorn and a wide range of gluten-free and alternative flours.

At Daily Bread we believe in giving customers choice and clear information about the food they buy, and we will continue to offer as wide a range of flours and grains as we can.

We also occasionally stock white flour from Wicken Windmill, a genuine working windmill – although, naturally, production can be somewhat dependent on there being enough wind! Because their production is below a certain lmit the regualtions as they stand do not apply.

Bread bought in from other producers may also be affected. For example, white bread products supplied to us by The Good Loaf will be subject to the new requirements where they are made using affected flour.

Sources: UK Government – Bread and flour: labelling and composition; Sustain / Real Bread Campaign – Flour fortification.