Salt Institute endorses mandated salt iodization for Australian bakers
Australia and New Zealand have a problem with eroding levels of iodine nutrition for which the universal consensus solution is using iodized salt. Responsibly, FSANZ, the nations' joint regulatory body, has concluded that bakers should be mandated to use iodized salt in their bread. If that proves insufficient, the universe of foods can be expanded. Today, the Salt Institute endorsed the approach for Australia, as it had done earlier for New Zealand.
Replacing plain salt with iodized salt in bread is technologically feasible and well-tested. Relying on iodized salt, of course, is the international standard, and a step-wise approach preserves the flexibilty to go back and fine-tune the rule if ongoing monitoring shows bread alone isn't enough. But it may be enough. FSANZ's analysis estimates that currently 40% of the population is either slightly or seriously iodine-deficient. Using iodized salt in bread should reduce that to less than 10%.
