Feasibility of reducing iodine concentration in edible iodized salt in Chongqing

Abstract

Objective To analyze the characteristics of urinary iodine and edible iodized salt,and to provide suitable iodine concentration in iodized salt.Methods Sample testing was carried out to detect iodine concentration in marketed salt and child urine before salt iodization (1994).After salt iodization (2001-2010),sample testing was carried out to detect salt iodine level in manufacture,market(2001-2010) and resident household(1997-2010).Urine of children aged 8 to 10 were sampled by PPS method from 1997 to 2005.In 2009,urinary iodine of 20 children was determined in each of 5 schools,which were sampled from 5 counties located at North,South,East,West and center of Chongqing.Based on the urinary iodine and salt iodine levels before salt iodization,the relationship of urinary iodine and consumption of iodized salt was calculated.Suitable iodine concentration in iodized salt was put forward.x2 test and trend analyze approach(F-test) were used for statistical analysis.Results Before salt iodization,salt iodine level was not tested in 204 edible salt samples; the median of urinary iodine was 53.14 μg/L in 1374 children.After salt iodization,form 2001 to 2010,the average iodine levels in manufacture and wholesale salt were between 29.72-36.25 mg/kg and 30.65-36.13 mg/kg,respectively,both of them decreased significantly(F =35.35,140.59,all P ＜ 0.01),and show a downward trend.Batch quality passing rate of industry iodized salt was 100％ except in 2001,which was 92.86％.Batch quality passing rate of market iodized salt were between 88.68％-99.77％,specifically in 2001 (88.68％),in 2002(92.57％) and in 2003 (96.22％).There was no significant difference in other years (all P ＞ 0.05).The median of urinary iodine were between 238.80-328.00 μg/L,more than 35％ fall into ＞ 300 μg/L; while salt iodine increased 1 mg/kg,urinary iodine increased 5.51 μg/L-7.40 μg/L; The medium of urinary iodine of children were between 140.05-383.00 μg/L in 40 counties or districts in 2009.Reducing the iodine concentration in edible iodized salt to 20 mg/kg,the median of urinary iodine can be kept at 163.34 μg/L to 201.14 μg/L.Conclusions Iodine in iodized salt is above sufficient in Chongqing.Salt iodine should be reduced to 20 mg/kg,which will meet various population's need. Key words: Iodine; Salts; Urine