Guidance for the use of iodised salt in processed foods and its pilot implementation

Efforts to achieve optimal iodine intake through salt iodisation have focused primarily on iodisation of household salt. However, there is strong evidence that in most regions of the world, industrially processed foods and condiments are an increasingly important source of dietary salt.

In this context, the Iodine Global Network (IGN) and partners developed program guidance to help national programme managers assess the potential contribution of widely consumed industrially processed foods and condiments to iodine intake. To evaluate the utility of the guidance in practice and identify areas where it could be improved, five pilot programs were implemented in Kenya, North Macedonia, The Republic of Moldova, Sri Lanka and Thailand, with remote technical support from IGN.

This collection offers a detailed introduction to this critical research as well as presenting the findings from four of the pilot programs, which illustrate how evidence from implementation could be used to strengthen existing salt iodisation initiatives.

This work was carried out with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

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