Dear Government of Canada,

We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned about the prevalence of iron-fortified wheat flour in our food supply. While we understand that many people in our community face the risk of iron deficiency and anemia, we believe that the mandatory fortification of wheat flour with iron can have unintended consequences on health, particularly in relation to gut health and bowel diseases.

The primary concern with iron additives is that they are often less bioavailable and less well-regulated by the body compared to iron from natural food sources (Hurrell & Egli, 2010). This can result in excess iron accumulation, particularly in individuals who already have sufficient iron levels or those susceptible to iron overload, such as individuals with hereditary hemochromatosis.

Excessive iron intake, especially from iron additives, can have harmful effects on the gut microbiome, the community of trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that reside in our intestines. Studies have shown that high levels of iron in the diet can lead to an increase in harmful bacteria such as Escherichia, Shigella, and Salmonella, which are associated with gut inflammation and other health problems (Dostal et al., 2012). Lee et al. (2017) found that high dietary iron intake is associated with an increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly ulcerative colitis. Additionally, Werner et al. (2011) demonstrated that depletion of luminal iron can help prevent Crohn's disease-like ileitis in mice.

In contrast, obtaining iron from natural dietary sources, such as red meat, poultry, fish, and plant-based foods like legumes and leafy greens, allows for a more balanced and bioavailable iron intake that is less likely to disrupt gut health and contribute to bowel diseases (Hurrell & Egli, 2010).

Furthermore, the excessive consumption of iron additives can lead to oxidative stress, which has been linked to various diseases, including cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer (Brewer, 2010). Iron from natural food sources, on the other hand, is generally better regulated by the body and less likely to contribute to oxidative stress (Hurrell & Egli, 2010).

Given these disadvantages of iron additives and their potential to contribute to bowel diseases, we believe that a more targeted approach to addressing iron deficiency should be considered, such as promoting the consumption of natural dietary sources of iron and providing targeted supplementation for individuals who are at-risk, rather than a one-size-fits-all mandatory fortification policy.

In light of these concerns, we respectfully request that the Government of Canada reconsider the mandatory iron fortification of wheat flour and prioritize the health of our community by investing in more targeted approaches to addressing iron deficiency.

We appreciate your attention to this important issue and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

References:

Brewer, G. J. (2010). Risks of copper and iron toxicity during aging in humans. Chemical research in toxicology, 23(2), 319-326.

Dostal, A., Chassard, C., Hilty, F. M., Zimmermann, M. B., Jaeggi, T., Rossi, S., & Lacroix, C. (2012). Iron depletion and repletion with ferrous sulfate or electrolytic iron modifies the composition and metabolic activity of the gut microbiota in rats. The Journal of nutrition, 142(2), 271-277.

Hurrell, R., & Egli, I. (2010). Iron bioavailability and dietary reference values. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 91(5), 1461S-1467S.

Lee, T., Clavel, T., Smirnov, K., Schmidt, A., Lagkouvardos, I., Walker, A., ... & Haller, D. (2017). Oral versus intravenous iron replacement therapy distinctly alters the gut microbiota and metabolome in patients with IBD. Gut, 66(5), 863-871.

Werner, T., Wagner, S. J., Martínez, I., Walter, J., Chang, J. S., Clavel, T., ... & Haller, D. (2011). Depletion of luminal iron alters the gut microbiota and prevents Crohn's disease-like ileitis. Gut, 60(3), 325-333.