Planning and Implementing Salt Iodization at the Operational level

Overview

"We need to work with large, medium, and small producers across the region to ensure that all salt for human and animal consumption is effectively iodised. Salt exporters and importers should accept iodised salt as the only norm. Leakages of non iodised salt across markets and borders need to be plugged"

Venkatesh Mannar, President, Micronutrient Initiative

Like other fortification initiatives, salt iodization requires an effective and ongoing partnership between the public sector, the private sector and civil society. Government, the salt industry, and civil society organizations all have key roles to play to ensure an effective and sustainable program.

The Role of Governments

Governments play a key role in creating an enabling environment for salt producers to ensure the long- term sustainability of the salt industry and fortification in salt-producing countries. Government also needs to ensure that trade-related policies supports rather than undermines the consumption of iodized salt. Government roles thus include setting and enforcing regulations and standards, improving infrastructure (roads, transport), and ensuring that taxes and duties affecting the salt industry do not have a negative effect on the consumption of iodized salt.

Regulations and Standards:

34 countries in Africa have adopted legislation to regulate the production and distribution of iodized salt (Allen, et al, 2006. p 120) WHO Food fortification Guidelines

There is a need to for standard iodine levels across countries in Africa. This will promote salt trade between countries and simplify the monitoring of salt iodization.

Trade, taxes and duties

High taxes and duties on the salt industry are lucrative for governments in the short term, but their long term social and economic impacts are negative. It contributes to poor sales of salt, since prices are not competitive in the international market. This prevents growth and expansion within the industry, and inhibits job creation. This in turn reduces tax revenues for governments. Furthermore, from a development standpoint, poor performance with the prevention of IDD contributes to reduced GDP, increases the burden on the health care system.

Removing regional barriers to trade is also important.

In West Africa, for example, trade between Anglophone and Francophone countries is restricted through economic policies, which limits the marketability of salt produced in Senegal and Ghana, and fuels imports from countries as far afield as Brazil and Namibia.

Government commitment to IDD, including creating a more favorable environment for the salt industry, is essential if countries are to reach the USI targets.

Salt Iodization procedures

Salt iodization involves the addition of a predetermined amount of a source of iodine to salt during the production process, to ensure the correct dosage of iodine, as stipulated by government standards. With the exception of the United States, where potassium iodide is in use, salt iodization usually involves addition of potassium iodate (KIO3) to salt. In the iodate form, iodine is more stable and so is more likely to remain available even when packaging is not optimal. Salt iodization can be done using either dry mixing of an iodine source or a premix, drip feeding an iodine compound onto salt, or spray mixing an iodine solution onto the salt.

The effectiveness of the different methods for different types of salt is compared in the following table:

Comparison of key salt iodization methods

Click here for more detail on salt iodization procedures: http://www.micronutrient.org/Salt_CD/4.0_useful/4.1_fulltext/pdfs/4.1.1.pdf

The reference work, prepared by Venkatesh Mannar and John Dunn in 1995, still serves as the standard technical guide to salt iodization. It provides detailed information on planning, implementing and monitoring salt iodization programs. Chapter 8 addresses techniques and procedures to follow for the different iodization methods, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. It also provides a brief introduction to methods that can be used at village level for small scale salt fortification. The maintenance of equipment is also covered.

Effect of Fortification on Product Quality and Appearance

The addition of iodine to salt does not change its colour or taste. Iodized salt is indistinguishable from uniodized salt, and is fully acceptable to consumers. Studies carried out to assess the impact of the presence of Potassium Iodate or Potassium Iodite on the appearance and taste of a range of prepared foods, including meat and dairy products, white bread, and soup suggest no adverse effects, even at very high levels. For more information on these studies, go to http://www.micronutrient.org/Salt_CD/4.0_useful/4.1_fulltext/pdfs/4.1.4.pdf

Equipment Procurement, Installation and Use

Iodization equipment must be designed to fit the capacity of the salt works and must take into account the movement and handling of salt within the salt facility. "One size fits all" units do not work.

Equipment, whether donated or purchased, must be integrated with existing operations and should not result in excessive additional costs and extra handling and movement of the salt.

On site training in the use and management of equipment is required.

Regular service and follow-up support as well as access to spare parts are essential to ensure ongoing trouble-free iodisation.

More information about equipment for salt iodization can be found here:

Quality Assurance /Quality Control

Monitoring and Evaluation of Iodine Control Programs, notably Universal Salt Iodization, is discussed in Chapter 5 and 6 of the following WHO publication:

WHO Assessment of iodine deficiency disorders

Costs

How much does salt iodization cost?

Mannar and Dunn (1995) provides a detailed breakdown of the capital and operating costs of salt iodization. You can read more about costs in chapter 12 of this document: http://www.micronutrient.org/Salt_CD/4.0_useful/4.1_fulltext/pdfs/4.1.1.pdf

According to their estimates ( in 1996) the total cost of salt iodization ranges from $3.95 to $14.80 per ton, with an average of $7.40, using existing packaging, or $11.40 with new packing material. This amounts to 0.4 to 1.2 cents per kg or 1-6 cents per person per year, based on an estimated annual consumption of 3 kg to 5kg. The retail price of crystalline salt for domestic use ranges from $0.25 to $1.00 per kg. From these estimates, iodization increases the retail price of salt by between 1 and 24%.

Small scale salt producers

While large scale salt producers now routinely iodize salt, resulting in some 64% of households in Sub-Saharan Africa consuming iodized salt, most salt produced by small scale salt producers is not currently iodized. To achieve the goals of USI, innovative approaches are needed to ensure that a larger proportion of salt is iodized. Small scale producers either need to set up small-batch iodization plants or form collective operations (such as cooperatives) for more centralized iodization and packing.

The benefits of forming a collective include producing higher volumes to take advantage of economies of scale; increased ability to absorb price fluctuations, and cope with market trends; it is possible to extend market access as a group, and it is possible to receive technical support from donors, development agencies, and financial assistance to gear for potential sustainable growth and commercial viability.

Technical support for such ventures can be obtained from the Micronutrient Initiative and other partners (add link to partner page). Small scale salt manufacturers, with or without the support of development partners like UNICEF, should contact their local chambers of commerce for assistance in developing a business plan, access local and international sources of funds, branding and monitoring and evaluation of their venture.

Double Fortified Salt (DFS)

After more than a decade of rigorous research and development work, salt fortified with both iodine and iron (in encapsulated form) can now be put to work to improve the health and learning capacity of millions of children and women world-wide.

Double fortified salt (DFS) consists of regular edible salt that has been fortified with both iodine and iron. An encapsulated iron premix (also called DFS premix) has been developed by the Micronutrient Initiative and University of Toronto. It is suitable for blending with locally produced iodized salt, thus resulting in double fortified salt. The DFS Premix is a light grey granular powder with particle size close to that of refined iodized salt. Efficacy studies in Ghana have demonstrated that DFS was efficacious in reducing anemia in children by 23% over an eight-month period. Studies have also shown that it is acceptable to consumers, and stable during storage and transportation, even under harsh conditions.

Double fortified salt (DFS) can be produced by adding the encapsulated iron to salt that has already been iodized. It can be done through a simple batch process in any country where salt is already being iodized. Currently the DFS premix is manufactured by one company, based in India. The company is ready to export the DFS premix to companies in African countries where conditions are right for such an innovation. DFS presents an opportunity for salt manufacturers looking for a quality measure by which they can distinguish their brand of salt from that of other salt manufacturing companies.

You can obtain more information about Double Fortified Salt and the DFS Initiative here:

MIDouble Fortified Salt Technical Breakthrough and here: DFS Initiative

The DFS product description can be found here: DFS product description

The DFS premix product description is here: DFS premix product description