District Health Officers directed to create awareness about benefits of iodised salt for daily consumption

A surge in the sale of rock salt in the State has raised concerns among health officials.
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Health officials issue directive to DHOs amid a surge in the sale of rock salt across Tamil Nadu

Amid a surge in the sale of rock salt across the State, the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine has directed all the District Health Officers (DHO) to educate the public on the benefits of iodised salt and the risks of using non-iodised salt for cooking. The DHO has also been told to conduct capacity-building programmes (on the importance of iodised salt) among salt manufacturers, distributors, and wholesale and retail shopowners.

During the sixth State-level coordination committee meeting of the National Iodine Deficiency Disorder Control Programme, health officials pointed out that the surge in the sale of rock salt has raised significant concerns as many consumers have been purchasing it at a premium price, under the misconception that it is a “healthier alternative” to traditional iodised salt. This is due to the belief that rock salt is more “natural” or contains fewer chemicals, but the truth is that most of the rock salt brands lack iodine — a crucial nutrient for human health, Director of Public Health T.S. Selvavinayagam said in a circular.

In an effort to combat the adverse effects of iodine deficiency disorders, it was made mandatory to iodise all edible common salt. But the lack of iodine in most rock salt brands makes it an unreliable alternative for daily consumption.

To tackle the misconception among consumers, the DHOs were instructed to create awareness among the public. The DHOs were told to regularly share the reports of salt samples tested by health inspectors and Accredited Social Health Activists, besides the State surveillance reports, to the designated officers of the food safety department. To prevent non-communicable diseases, it is recommended that adults consume less than five grams (about one teaspoon) of salt per day, the circular said.