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New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
By
Arya Sundaram
Published Sep 28, 2026
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Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
By
Arya Sundaram
Published Sep 28, 2026
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Change is coming to New Jersey’s corn masa dough and flour – the ingredients for freshly pressed corn tortillas, tamales, and pupusas prepared in many Latin American kitchens.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed legislation on Monday requiring corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the Garden State to be fortified with folic acid, a form of vitamin B9, which has been shown in scientific studies to prevent certain serious birth defects more prevalent in Hispanic and Latino families.
“Corn masa products like tortillas are a staple at the kitchen table for many Latino families,” Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz, a Democrat based in Newark who sponsored the bill, said in a statement. “Yet unlike other grain products, they are not currently fortified with folic acid.”
She added, “The absence of this essential B vitamin has contributed to persistent health disparities among Latino babies, who experience higher rates of neural tube defects.”
Neural tube defects are birth defects of the brain and spine that can occur during the first few months of pregnancy. Folic acid has been shown to reduce the risk of neural tube defects by up to 70%.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandated folic acid fortification of enriched cereal grains in the late 1990s, a policy change that several studies have linked to a reduction in the rate of pregnancies with neural tube defects in the U.S. by up to one-third.
Hispanic women, however, continue to be twice as likely to have children affected by such defects compared to non-Hispanic women. Proponents of the new New Jersey state law said they hope it will help change that course.
Ruiz called fortifying corn masa “a creative and culturally conscious way we can help more mothers have healthy pregnancies, reduce birth defects for Latino babies, and advance health equity in Latino communities.”
Under the new law, which goes into effect immediately, corn masa flour sold or manufactured in the state must contain 0.7 milligrams of folic acid per pound of product, and corn masa dough must contain 0.4 milligrams of folic acid per pound. The law doesn't apply to snack foods, such as tortilla chips.
In 2016, the FDA allowed companies to fortify their corn masa flour products with folic acid, but didn't mandate any requirements. A 2023 study found the decision didn’t significantly change the rates of neural tube defects in Hispanic neighborhoods.
New Jersey’s new rules are similar to California's, the first state to require businesses to fortify corn masa flour with folic acid, starting in 2026. Similar legislation has been introduced in the New York State Legislature.
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Health and Science
Race And Justice Unit
food
latino
new jersey
new york
restaurant
Arya Sundaram
Arya is a reporter covering race and justice. Got a tip? Email: [email protected] or reach Arya on Signal at 512-650-8767.
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