Planning and Implementing Salt Iodization at the Operational level

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

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.