[Iodized salt in Cameroon].
The WHO program to combat iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) adopted in 1992 required countries producing cooking and table salt to add 50-100 ppm of iodine to salt. This program was adopted in Cameroon, but problems remain in ensuring adequate conditioning of the iodized salt at the factories to maintain the iodine levels so that consumers take in the required quantity. This study collected and analyzed five groups of salt samples from three provinces of Cameroon. Each group included a specimen from its factory, wholesalers, retailers, and households. Iodine content was measured by the volumetric method. The results showed that iodine levels in salt decreased substantially between the factory and the consumer; percentages of iodine loss in these samples varied from 44.8% to 82.3%. Iodine levels were highest in fine-grained salt. Iodine concentration also decreases after storage, perhaps as a function of the type and duration of the storage, temperature, packaging material and presence of impurities in salt. This study shows that even salt with an initial high iodine concentration may reach consumers with insufficient levels for daily needs.
Taga
Ibrahim
I
Unité de biochimie et nutrition clinique, Département de biochimie, Faculté des sciences, BP 24157 Dla Université de Douala, Cameroun. tagibra@yahoo.fr
Massouké
Daniel Désiré Massouké
DD
Ndomou
Mathieu
M
Yonkeu
Jeanne Ngogang
JN
D002163:Cameroon; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000172:deficiency*; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000502:physiology
D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; C034024:iodized salt; D007455:Iodine