title: Folate bioavailability: UK Food Standards Agency workshop report.
abstract: The UK Food Standards Agency convened a group of expert scientists to review current research investigating folate bioavailability. The workshop aimed to overview current research and establish priorities for future research. Discrepancies were observed in the evidence base for folate bioavailability, especially with regard to the relative bioavailability of natural folates compared with folic acid. A substantial body of evidence shows folic acid to have superior bioavailability relative to food folates; however, the exact relative bioavailability still needs to be determined, and in particular with regard to mixed diets. The bioavailability of folate in a mixed diet is probably not a weighted average of that in the various foods consumed; thus the workshop considered that assessment of folate bioavailability of whole diets should be a high priority for future research.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Division, Food Standards Agency, Aviation House, 125 Kingsway, London WC2 6NH, UK. peter.sanderson@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sanderson
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: McNulty
authors.forename: Pierpaolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mastroiacovo
authors.forename: Ian F W
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: McDowell
authors.forename: Alida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Melse-Boonstra
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Finglas
authors.forename: Jess F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gregory
mesh_terms: D001682:Biological Availability; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006077:Government Agencies; D006801:Humans; D012015:Reference Standards; D012106:Research / Q000639:trends; D006113:United Kingdom; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D005492:Folic Acid