Cebu City – Republic Act 8172 or known as ASIN Law requires all producers/manufacturers of food-grade salt to iodize the salt that they produce, manufacture, import, trade or distribute as part of reducing the risk of micronutrient deficiency in the county specifically the ongoing problem of iodine deficiency disorders through the sale and distribution use of iodized salt.
To ensure its compliance, the Regional Bantay Asin Task Force 7 (RBATF 7) together with the NNC 7 Secretariat is conducting semi-annual monitoring of the largest salt producers in the region as well as visiting select food establishments to ensure that the law is followed.
The monitoring team recently visited the Arvin Marketing International Incorporated and Bohol Lirio Corporation which are both located in Mandaue City Cebu. These two (2) salt producers are the largest in the region and supply most of the salt in the market and provide the salt requirements of most of the food companies in the region. The team took salt samples for testing to ensure that the salt being produced contains the standard amount of iodine which is 30-70 ppm. The Department of Science and Technology Region VII, a member of the Task Force tested the salt samples collected using their WYD iodine checker.
Based on the result, Arvin Marketing International Inc. did not pass the standard iodine requirement which only contains 11.1 ppm for freshly iodized salt. During the visit, only freshly iodized salt was available for testing. In Bohol Lirio, out of three samples taken, all did not reach the standard iodine content. Only 28.7 ppm for their freshly iodized salt, while 0.2 ppm for the piled and 0.0 ppm for the stored one. It was also observed that Arvin International Marketing Inc. is not following the standard protocol for storing the salt they produced since it’s been stored in an open area under the direct heat of the sun which could decrease the iodine level of the salt. Of the nine food establishments visited which included sari-sari stores, bakeries, and cafeterias, only five (5) passed the required standard level of iodine content in salt to achieve SISA or “Saktong Iodine as Asin”.
With the above findings, the RBATF 7 gave recommendations to salt producers and prod the Food and Drug Administration to take stronger action against these erring suppliers. The Task Force also shared the finding with the local government where the producers are operating and called upon the Local Bantay Asin Task Force to strengthen advocacy to increase awareness of the importance of using only iodized salt. // PNFP Mary Bliss Joy P. Iguana, RND