A group of scientists is demanding that the government add Lipraphulic Acid, a substance naturally found in a wide range of components of the so-called palaeolithic diet, to the list of statutory nutrients added to flour.
The Association of Plant Researchers and the Institute of Life Sciences first fuelled the case for the substance’s inclusion two years ago but the Government ruled out its inclusion on the grounds that the public might be concerned by the forced addition of too much acid.
However, the Institute’s Japanese president, Dr Ono Nottagen, told the Parliamentary Committee on Food and Nutrition that: “There is more of a nutritional case for statutory addition of Lipraphulic Acid to the diet than for any of those additives previously required in law.
“First, Lipraphulic Acid limits the loss of brain cells, as proved by the fact that there are no recorded cases of dementia from the palaeolithic period.
“Secondly, there is clear evidence that it helps protect the skin from radiation, be it from the sun or nuclear fallout.”
The Secretariat will keep a watchful eye on this issue but it is thought unlikely there will be any developments until this time next year.
