Vegemite Ban or Misunderstanding?

The Melbourne Herald Sun, The Courier Mail, and The New Zealand Herald have all reported this month that Vegemite is banned in the USA, with customs officials going so far as to search Australians for Vegemite when they enter the US. However, there is no official statement from the Food and Drug Administration, or any other US government agency on the supposed ban.

Why Vegemite?

Vegemite is a processed salty yeast spread known best as one of Australia's national foods; just one serving size of Vegemite contains 50% of the recommended daily intake of 200 micrograms of folate per day (or 25% of the recommended intake for women of childbearing age).

Folate, a general term for various B vitamins, plays a huge role in cell division, prevents birth defects and cuts heart disease. In January 1998, the FDA required manufacturers to add between 0.43 mg to 1.4 mg of folic acid per pound of flour, or cereal-based product, so that each serving size will provide 10% of the Daily Value for folate. This regulation allowed the "addition of folic acid only to a limited range of products to establish a safe level of intake" according to a FDA 1993 press release. Whole grains do not have to be folate-enriched though because they contain natural folate.

Apparently, this has either been interpreted as disallowing fortification in non-grain products or US officials are cracking down on Vegemite because it contains high levels of folic acid. So far, no more specifics have been reported.

Too much folate, by the way, masks vitamin B-12 deficiencies in the elderly.

So for now, looks like the best way for Aussies (and the rest of us) to get our folic acid is by consuming leafy dark green vegetables, legumes (dried beans and peas), citrus fruits and juices and most berries.

G’Day.