SOME FACTS ON COMPULSORY IODISATION OF COMMON SALT
The present iodisation rules require:
1. 30ppm iodine/kg at the place of production.
2. At retail & distribution stage a minimum of 15 ppm is compulsory.
The different requirement is due to volatile nature of iodine.
No appropriate or maximum limit for iodisation is mentioned or required.Potassium iodide was previously used for salt iodisation.But potassium iodide is unstable as compared to potassium iodate and hence the present rules are for potassium iodate.Even potassium iodate evaporates.
Iodine is a necessarry micronutrient for human being.A person needs about a tespoonful of iodinr for his whole life span.This micro-need is fulfilled naturally from food and water.If there is a deficiency in natural iodine intake Goitre may occur.
A person needs 150 micro grams of iodine every day.. 1 gm=1000 milligms, 1 milligm=1000 microgms,
Thus 150 microgms is less than one sixth of a milligm.Normally we get this reqd. amnt of iodine from food and water,supplementing iodine through iodised salt is not needed.Possibility od acquiring goitre occurs when daily natural intake of iodine is less than 50 microgms.
A person needs abt 10 gms of salt every day.In regions of iodine deficiency(not elsewhere) 10 gms of iodised salt is thus needed.Iodine from earth is tranferred to vegetables and crops.Regions of iodine defficiency are identified by testing urine samples of people living in a particular area and is not done by soil test.
25 to 30 percent iodine evaporates within three months of production.
49 to 70 percent evaporates in one year.In addition 20 to 70 percent iodine evaporates during cooking(Source-Nutrition News,January,1995,National Institute of Nutrition,Hyderabad)
'Iodine' added to common to common salt is imported.Iodine exporting countries of EU and America do not have compulsory universal iodisation law or
\r\nCooking technique in India(in uncovered pans) leads to evaporation of iodine.This means that even the declared objective is not met.\r\nSmall-scale salt producers claim that they may supply plain common salt to entire nation at 25 paise to 50 paise per kg.Iodised salt(standard) is being sold at Rs. 6 to Rs.10 per kg.Thus it becomes another conspiracy to empty pockets of the poor to benefit multinational corporations.\r\n\r\n(Adverse effects of excess of iodine are described in \'Nutrition News\',A journal of National Institute of Nutrition,Hyderabad,Vol.16,No. 1,January 1995)\r\nFollowing are different causes of of IDD and Goitre:\r\n1.Iodine defficiency 2.Excess iodine 3.Side effects of several drugs 4.Presence of goitrogens in several food items.\r\nIodised salt is not a remedy of causes 2 to 4.-- Aflatoon,Samajwadi Janparishad(U.P.),5,Readers Flats,Jodhpur Colony,Banaras Hindu University,Varanasi,Uttar Pradesh,INDIA 221005Visit \r\nhttp://samajwadi.blogspot.comURL : http://aflatoon4.tripod.com,URL: http://kashipursolidarity.tripod.com/ \r\n\r\n",0]
);
//-->
rules.In these developed countries iodised salt is available in the market.People may buy it on Physicians prescription.
Cooking technique in India(in uncovered pans) leads to evaporation of iodine.This means that even the declared objective is not met.
Small-scale salt producers claim that they may supply plain common salt to entire nation at 25 paise to 50 paise per kg.Iodised salt(standard) is being sold at Rs. 6 to Rs.10 per kg.Thus it becomes another conspiracy to empty pockets of the poor to benefit multinational corporations.
(Adverse effects of excess of iodine are described in 'Nutrition News',A journal of National Institute of Nutrition,Hyderabad,Vol.16,No. 1,January 1995)
Following are different causes of of IDD and Goitre:
1.Iodine defficiency 2.Excess iodine 3.Side effects of several drugs 4.Presence of goitrogens in several food items.
Iodised salt is not a remedy of causes 2 to 4.