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PETALING JAYA: Iodine should be added to the salt sold in Malaysia as part of a new rule that seeks to address iodine deficiency, says the Ministry of Health.
Chief Health Officer Tan Sri Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah said that the amendments made to Regulation 285 regarding iodized salt under the 1985 Food Regulation would take effect from 30 September.
“The amendments require iodine to be added to fine salt or salt weighing 20 kg or less, before it is sold throughout Malaysia,” it said in a statement on Friday (September 25).
He said a nationwide study on iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) found that 48.2% of school-age children ages eight to 10 suffered from iodine deficiency, adding that 2.1% of children suffer from an enlarged thyroid gland, a condition known as preserve.
Dr. Noor Hisham added that surveys of pregnant women and students showed that iodine intake was not optimal.
“As such, the implementation of universal salt iodization (USI) in Malaysia will help increase iodine intake in society, as salt is a basic ingredient that everyone needs, regardless of income,” he said.
He added that this regulation had already been implemented in Sabah, but will now be expanded throughout the country.
He said the Ministry’s Food Safety and Quality Division would monitor and enforce the new regulation.
“Failure to comply with the Regulation 285 amendment is a crime and if found guilty, manufacturers and retailers will not be aggravated by more than RM10,000 or jailed for no more than two years,” he warned.
Dr. Noor Hisham said that iodized salt would not negatively affect the taste of food, adding that consumers do not need to increase their salt intake.
“Consumers are reminded that it is not necessary to increase their salt intake, because excess salt in food can lead to non-communicable diseases such as hypertension,” he said.
If a consumer has a question about food safety and quality, they can contact the district or state health office.
They can also contact the Ministry of Health through its website http://moh.spab.gov.my or the Facebook page of the Food Safety and Quality Division at www.facebook.com/bkkmhq.
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