title: Iodine fortification of vegetables improves human iodine nutrition: in vivo evidence for a new model of iodine prophylaxis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Iodine deficiency is the result of insufficient intake of dietary iodine and as a consequence causes multiple adverse effects. About 2 billion individuals in the world are affected by iodine deficiency. It has been found that the most effective way to control iodine deficiency is through the universal salt iodization. However, salt iodization alone may not be sufficient to assure adequate iodine nutrition. In most industrialized countries, excess consumption of salt has become recognized as a health risk. Therefore, biofortification of vegetables with iodine offers an excellent opportunity to increase iodine intake.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to test the efficiency of a new model of iodine prophylaxis in a group of 50 healthy volunteers through the intake of vegetables (potatoes, cherry tomatoes, carrots, and green salad) fortified with iodine. Each serving of vegetables consisted of 100 g of potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, or salad containing 45 mg of iodine (30% of the Recommended Daily Allowance), and the volunteers consumed a single serving of vegetables, as preferred, each day for 2 weeks. Urinary iodine (UI) excretion was measured before and after intake of vegetables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The UI concentration measured in volunteers before the intake of vegetables was 98.3 mg/L (basal value), increasing to 117.5 mg/L during the intake of vegetables. Seven days after the discontinuation of vegetable intake, UI was 85 mg/L. UI concentration increment was 19.6% compared with the basal value; therefore, the difference was statistically significant (P = .035).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Biofortification of vegetables with iodine provides a mild but significative increase in UI concentration and, together with the habitual use of iodized salt, may contribute to improve the iodine nutritional status of the population without risks of iodine excess.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Research Center of Excellence AmbiSEN, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy. mtonacchera@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tonacchera
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dimida
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Servi
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frigeri
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferrarini
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Marco
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Agretti
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piaggi
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aghini-Lombardi
authors.forename: Pierdomenico
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perata
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinchera
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vitti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018890:Chemoprevention / Q000379:methods; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000172:deficiency / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000187:drug effects*; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; C034024:iodized salt; D007455:Iodine