The iodized salt marketplace in the Philippines will ensure consumers get the iodine they expect when they buy iodized salt through a new partnership of salt traders and local public health authorities, using a grant from the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), reported BusinessWorld on November 2nd.

GAIN will provide an iodine checker enabling improved monitoring of the quality of iodized salt.

"The task force, which composed of various government agencies in Region 8, called for a meeting with traders after survey results showed low intake of iodine among target age groups.

"The latest National Nutrition Survey by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute showed that 97.2% of households in Eastern Visayas have been using iodized salt.

"However, the same study revealed that iodine excretion of children in Region 8 is 83 microgram per liter of urine (µg/L), lactating mothers 58 µg/L ,and pregnant women with 83 µg/L. These figures are way below the 100-150 minimum iodine excretion using the same measurement.

"'Salt traders must understand that distributing iodized salt is their social responsibility. Only 25% of the households in the country have adequately been using iodized salt. Over 67 million Filipinos and 1.67 million newborns are unprotected,' [GAIN representative) Mr. (Edward P.) Otico said."