 |
| Source: NAFDAC |
Iodine is a
micronutrient of public health importance. It is an essential component
of the hormones produced by the thyroid gland which are essential for mammalian
life and thus, Iodine is essential for a
healthy, human life. Iodine deficiency leads to a range of disorders known as IDDs
(Iodine deficiency disorders) which can affect persons of all ages, including
those still in the womb. It can lead to thyroid enlargement (known as a
goiter), impair fetal brain development and can impose on a newborn infant a
lifetime intellectual deficit.
Iodine is distributed in the earth’s
environment in form of Iodide found mostly in seas and oceans. Iodide undergoes
oxidation to form volatile, elemental Iodine which evaporates into the atmosphere and
returns to the soil by rain in a process known as
“Iodine cycle”.
 |
| Iodine cycle. Source Fred Zucker, 2015 |
Human dietary sources
of iodine include seafoods, plants grown
where soil contains iodine and the meat of animals whose forage grow in such
soils. Breastfeeding babies get their supply of iodine from their
mothers’ breasts as the mammary gland concentrates iodine and secretes it into
breast milk to provide for the nursing infant.
Iodine deficiency
according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is “ is the world’s most prevalent, yet easily
preventable, cause of brain damage”. It can affect a child’s mental health
and/or survival; reduce a child’s intellectual capacity and can cause
stillbirths in pregnant women. Serious Iodine deficiency in pregnancy can lead
to congenital abnormalities such as cretinism; an irreversible form of mental
retardation in the child.
Kul Gautam, a Deputy Executive Director
in UNICEF, in 2007 said “IDD is the
single greatest cause of preventable mental retardation. Severe deficiencies
cause cretinism, stillbirth and miscarriage. But even mild deficiency can
significantly affect the learning ability of populations. Scientific evidence
shows alarming effects of IDD. Even a moderate deficiency, especially in
pregnant women and infants, lowers their intelligence by 10 to 15 IQ points,
with incalculable damage to social and economic development of nations and communities…..
The mark of a civilized society is how well it takes care of its most
vulnerable and deprived communities. If we continue to fail to reach these
newborns, we will be consigning them to an inter-generational cycle of poverty
and injustice.”
The
various impacts of Iodine deficiency led to several acts and regulations by NAFDAC
(National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control), and SON
(Standard Organization of Nigeria) on salt iodization in Nigeria.
NAFDAC ACT 1993 (AS
AMENDED) Food Grade (Table or Cooking) Salt Regulations 2005
Stipulates that
·
Any salt used as an ingredient of food for
direct use by consumers, food manufactures or as a carrier of food additive
shall meet the standard requirement for food grade salt as set out in these
regulations among others.
- · Be fortified with iodine using sodium or potassium iodide or iodate at a residue level as specified by the Agency.
- · the name “salt” shall have a prefix of “food grade” or “table”;
- · Salt Iodization shall carry the logo of a green map of Nigeria with black edge and three human figures in white.
The SON standard defines properly
iodized salt as "containing above 50 ppm (parts per
million) iodine at port of entry, above 30 ppm iodine at distributor and retail
levels and above 15 ppm iodine at household level" The SON
standard also specifies the over-all quality parameters for food grade salt.
While we have little or no control over the iodine content
of the seafood and other items we consume, we need to ensure we use only
iodized salt in our cooking. It is advisable to buy edible iodized salt in
smaller packages as those that come in very big bags are prone to exposure and
therefore increases the chances that the iodine has been leached.
References
Fred
Zucker (2015) BioLargo's Clean Water
Technology Positioned To Save Maritime Operators Billions sourced on 7/10/2017 from http://secfilings.com/News.aspx?title=biolargo%27s_clean_water_technology_positioned_to_save_maritime_operators_billions&naid=1160
Pearce EN, Leung AM, Blount BC, et al. (2007). Breast milk
iodine and perchlorate concentrations in lactating Boston-area women. Journal of Cliinical and Endocrinoogical Metabolism 92:
1673–77
http://www.saltinstitute.org/2013/07/13/iodized-salt/.
Sourced 5/7/2017
http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/idd/en/.
Sourced 5/7/2017
https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/ng_publications_USI_in_Nigeria_Report.pdf.
Sourced 5/7/2017
No comments:
Post a Comment