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Letters to the Editor |
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Indian Pediatrics 2000;37: 113-114 |
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| Level of Iodine Content in Iodized Salt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Concerns have been raised in mass and electronic media about the safety of iodized salt and possibly high intake of iodine through consumption of iodized salt(1-3). During 1994 to 1999, 10,644 salt samples were analyzed using standard iodometric titration method at Human Nutrition Unit. The distribution of the salt samples collected from different states is depicted in Table I. Table I__Distribution of Evaluated Samples
Table II__Iodine Conent of Salt Samples
The distribution of salt samples as per the iodine content is depicted in Table II. Only 0.73% of the salt samples analyzed had iodine content of 75 ppm and more. This is well within the accepted limit as recommended by WHO(4). There is no possibility of excess intake of iodine which could cause toxicity through iodized salt as revealed by the above data. Umesh Kapil, References 1. Ban on sale of common salt opposed. The Hindu 1999, Tuesday, July 6, p 2. 2. A salt `Satyagraha' of a different kind. The Times of India 1999, Wedensday March 3, p 3. 3. Plea to lift ban on use of common salt. The Statesman 1999, Thursday, July 1 p 8. 4. Sullivan KM, Houston R, Gorstein J, Cerinskos J. Monitoring Universal Salt Iodization Programmes. Published UNICEF/ICC IDD/PAMM/WHO, Ontario, Canada, 1995; pp 10-11. |
