FDA raises iodine limit in salt to prevent thyroid disorders 減少甲狀腺問題 食鹽添碘限量提高

TODAY’S WORDS
今日單字

1. iodine n. 碘 

2. thyroid gland phr. 甲狀腺 

3. seaweed n. 海帶 

4. scallop n. 干貝 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 29 announced new limits for iodine levels in salt, which have now been increased from between 12mg and 20mg per kilogram to 20mg to 33mg per kilogram.

Iodine provides the necessary nutrition for maintaining healthy thyroid glands, while the lack of it can result in insufficient thyroid hormone and lead to hypothyroidism and enlarged thyroid glands.

A common food source of iodine is seafood, including seaweed, hairtails, scallops, mussels and sea cucumbers.

FDA section chief Kao Yi-ting says that the administration decided to raise the limit of iodine levels in salt after surveys by the Health Promotion Administration showed that seaweed and nori are not part of the typical Taiwanese diet. People who need more iodine in their diet are advised to choose salt with added iodine over regular salt, the FDA says.

The FDA has in the last year set down new labeling rules for salt products with and without iodine – specifically on product names, disclaimers and other information – to help consumers quickly understand them. The new rules regarding labeling and iodine levels took effect on July 1.

(Liberty Times, translated by Tu Yu-an)

食品藥物管理署上月二十九日發布新的食鹽含碘添加標準，從每公斤十二到二十毫克，提高到每公斤二十到三十三毫克。

碘是維持甲狀腺功能正常的必要營養，碘不足會導致甲狀腺素不足，可能造成甲狀腺低能症和甲狀腺腫大。

常見的含碘食物為海產品，如海帶、帶魚、干貝、淡菜、海參等。

食藥署科長高怡婷說，根據國健署調查，海帶、海苔這類食物非國人常吃的食材，食藥署因此決定提高食鹽中含碘量，並建議有需要的民眾選擇添加碘的碘鹽取代一般鹽，以補充身體所需碘量。

食藥署已於去年規範加碘或未加碘鹽品的品名、醒語等標示，讓消費者可快速明確了解食鹽產品資訊，該規定與碘含量新限制，已同步於七月一日實施。

(自由時報記者吳亮儀)

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