Iodine

In October 2009 it became law in Australia for all bread (except organic bread) to be fortified with iodine. Bread makers now need to replace non-iodised salt with iodised salt when making bread. Bread is defined as a product made from baked, yeast-leavened dough and includes products such as bread loaves, buns, rolls, focaccia, pide, bagels and English-style muffins.
 
The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) supports mandatory fortification of bread with iodine. Iodine is a mineral found naturally in many foods, but much of the Australian food supply is now low in iodine. DAA believes adding iodine to the food supply in this way will help reduce the mild to moderate iodine deficiency seen among the Australian population.
 
While mandatory iodine fortification provides sufficient amounts of iodine to much of the population, it is insufficient to meet the much greater requirements of many pregnant and breastfeeding women.  DAA supports iodine supplement promotion and education campaigns for pregnant and breastfeeding women. And DAA calls on the Australian Government to monitor the effectiveness and safety of iodine fortification over time.
 
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has found there is minimal or no risk to iodine fortification for the population.  For more information on iodine fortification, visit the Smart Eating section of the DAA website, Nutrition A-Z on iodine or visit the FSANZ website.