Tortillas sold in California are going to have a new ingredient, one that’s intended to help nurture infants. Starting Jan. 1, a new law will take effect requiring most tortillas and corn masa products sold in the state to contain folic acid, a vitamin that’s important to infant health. White women took the vitamin at a higher rate, with 46% of them reporting consuming folic acid, according to the California Department of Public Health. This puts Latinas at higher risk of having a baby born with neural tube defects — defects of the brain and spinal cord. Research has shown that folic acid can reduce birth defects by up to 70%.

Source: Los Angeles Times December 30, 2025 15:45 UTC