NNC Celebrates Goiter Awareness Week

The strict implementation of ‘Asin Law’ has improved the quality level of iodine contents in salt products being supplied here in Central Visayas.

National Nutrition Council (NNC)7 Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Dr. Parolita Mission cited this aspect during the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO) Forum held at the PIA Tuesday.

Mission said a sharp decline of goiter cases can be traced through the proper intake of iodine being mixed in the iodized salt.

Mission’s statement is in line with the celebration of Goiter Awareness Week with a theme: Goiter Sugpuin Isip Patalinuhin Iodized Salt Gamitin Manggagamot Konsultahin.

The said celebration runs from January 26-31, to remind everybody the importance of the proper intake of iodine to prevent goiter.

Goiter is the swelling of glands somewhere near the throat of women which subsequently disturb their breathing and swallowing of foods.

Although this is curable, it causes deformation and abnormality on the body movement.

But according to Mission this can be avoided if everybody has enough iodine intake.

Mission explained that the NNC has exerted its all out efforts to monitor all salt products being sold in grocery stores and supermarkets here.

She said there are two known big salt distributors here that become partners of the government on the proper implementation of the Asin Law.

Mission identified One of these is Salinas Foods Inc. which supplies the Fidel brand of salt products being displayed in both small and big stores within the various areas of Central Visayas.

But aside from the properly packed salt, they are also supplying salt products being displayed openly without packs at the big public markets in Cebu City.

These are the Carbon, Taboan, Pardo,T. Padilla and other areas in Cebu City.

Mission said that they are always making random inspections of all of these products and those who were found to have no iodine contents were confiscated and shipped back to Salinas Foods Inc, in Manila.

She said this move is to protect the public against iodized deficiency disorder (IDD) which usually result to goiter.

Mission explained that the proper iodine contents of salt products which are sold in the market must be 30-70 parts per million (PPM).

But this figure can no longer reach actually to the human body due to some dissolution in the process when salt is mixed with other matters especially during the food preparation aspects.

Mission also urged everybody to buy salt products with NNC designed logo found on each plastic bag being sold in the markets.