Fortification of Bread with Iodine

Food Standards Australia New Zealand is proposing the mandatory fortification of bread with iodine to reduce iodine deficiency in Australia.  This will be done by replacing non iodised salt with iodised salt (containing 25-65mg iodine/kg salt) during manufacture.

All bread (including frozen doughs) with the exception of organic breads will be required to contain iodized salt. Bread has been chosen as the fortification vehicle as it is widely eaten (88% of people over 2 years eat it).

Recent reports and studies have indicated that mild iodine deficiency is prevalent in certain parts of Australia and within certain groups, particularly pregnant women. The Australian National Iodine Study found that 73% of children in Victoria, 60% in NSW and 48% in South Australia had mild iodine deficiency.  It is estimated that about 65% of non pregnant non breast feeding Australian women who don’t use iodised salt will enter pregnancy in a deficient state.

Iodine deficiency adversely affects brain growth and is of most concern during foetal growth, infancy and early childhood. Mild iodine deficiency in children can impair mental function, hearing, visual perception, fine motor skills, reasoning, verbal fluency, reading proficiency, spelling and mathematical skills. If iodine deficiency occurs before age 2-3 years these impairments are irreversible.

The proposed level of fortification will provide enough iodine for children (without exceeding their upper limit of requirement) and for the general population. While it will increase the intakes of pregnant and breast feeding women, supplementation with iodine will be required so their recommended dietary intake can be met.  Submissions on the proposal close on May 20^th 2008.

Reference

FSANZ . Proposal 1003 Mandatory Iodine Fortification Assessment Report. 22^nd April 2008 www.foodstandards.gov.au/_srcfiles/P1003_AR_%20Mandatory_Iodine_fortification.pdf

Comments

[lily]

What about the people who can't take iodine? I asked coles and woolworths - they even do not know what's with iodine! So could not answer to my question about which breads do not have iodine in them. Bakers delights MtG and Brumbies at the city .. same .. answer ... they do not know about iodine.

[Heather Ferguson, Dietitian HJ Heinz]

Dear Lily,
Thanks for your question.
Iodine is an essential mineral that is limited in our food supply with iodine deficiency now being seen in young children in particular. FSANZ, Australia's Food Standards Body, have now mandated iodised salt be used in bread to try and improve iodine intake. If you would like to avoid iodine, then organic breads and salt-free breads will not have iodine added.
Best Regards
Heather