The Sri Lanka Health Ministry has not issued guidelines to Sri Lankan salt producers, and, as a result, there salt packets contain variable amounts of iodine, some too little, others too much, charged consultant nutritionist Dr. Ms. Renuka Jayatissa as reported in The Island, Nov. 21.

She said that iodine deficiency in humans could cause many health complications, because iodine was essential for the thyroid glands to function properly. Iodine deficiency could cause thyroid cancer, narrowing of the glands and goiters, she said.

Asked whether the Health Ministry would issue guidelines to the salt industrialists, Dr. Ms. Jayatissa said that the draft bill to introduce an Act has been forwarded to the legal draftsman.