Determination of iodine content in traditional Egyptian foods before and after a salt iodination programme

Iodine (I) intake averaged 33 μg/day among a subpopulation group from the New Valley, an I endemic area in the southern part of Egypt. A salt iodination programme was implemented with 14; 30 or 45 mg iodine/kg salt (as potassium iodate).This iodination led to a 65% increase in the iodine content in foods prepared with iodinated salt. The estimated iodine increased to 63 μg for this Egyptian subpopulation group. The results of the study predict that the optimum iodination level of salt would be 45 mg iodine/kg.