The population-level fortification of salt for human consumption with iodine, which the World Health Organization recommends for all food-grade salt used in households and food processing. Its purpose is the prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders, and it works at the population level because salt is consumed nearly universally, so fortifying it raises iodine intake without requiring individual behavior change. Switzerland planned nationwide iodization of table and cooking salt in 1922, and iodized salt reached grocers' shelves across Michigan in May 1924, produced voluntarily by manufacturers. The WHO describes the strategy as safe and effective.
Facts
Origin YearThe year iodized salt first went on sale at scale, across Michigan in May 1924; Switzerland had planned nationwide iodization in 1922. Practice ClassNutrition science, food fortification 1 Classification
Practice ClassPreventive or Public Health Practice 1 Connections
Associated With
Source World Health Organization Official Site
In Branch
Source World Health Organization Official Site
Sources
1. World Health Organization Official Site
World Health OrganizationeLENA: Salt iodization intervention page
Iodization is the process of fortifying salt for human consumption with iodine and is an effective strategy to increase iodine intake at the population level.
eLENA: Salt iodization, WHO recommendation
All food-grade salt, used in household and food processing should be fortified with iodine as a safe and effective strategy for the prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders.
Program classification, entity description sentence
The population-level fortification of salt for human consumption with iodine, which the World Health Organization recommends for all food-grade salt used in households and food processing.
- In Branch: Nutrition Science, eLENA: Salt iodization, intervention framing
- Associated With: Food Fortification, eLENA: Salt iodization, fortification definition
View the Source 2. A Grain of Salt (Milbank Quarterly)
The Milbank QuarterlyMichigan 1924 account
On May 1, 1924, the first boxes of iodized salt appeared on grocers' shelves all over the state. Incredibly, the salt manufacturers voluntarily produced every box; no laws or regulations were required.
A Grain of Salt, May 1924 paragraph
On May 1, 1924, the first boxes of iodized salt appeared on grocers' shelves all over the state.
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