In October 2009, it became mandatory for conventional bakers to replace non-iodised salt with iodised salt in their breads. This mandatory fortification program aims to address the deficiency of iodine commonly seen in pregnant women in Australia and New Zealand.
However, new research suggests bread fortification may not be addressing iodine deficiency.
A study published in the Medical Journal of Australia (March 2011) of 86 pregnant women (at ≥ 28 weeks’ gestation) living in Gippsland, Victoria, found the proportion of pregnant women who were iodine deficient was 72%. This is the second study showing that pregnant women are still iodine deficient despite food fortification.
Iodine is difficult to get from food sources as our Australian soil is depleted in this trace mineral. Seafood and seaweed such as kombu contain reasonable amounts of iodine, but not all pregnant women feel like snacking on seaweed every day. Bread fortification therefore seems like a good solution to address iodine deficiency.
But with each piece of fortified bread typically containing about 15-30 µg of iodine, women need to consume anywhere between 7 and 15 slices of bread per day in order to reach the recommended dietary intake (RDI) in pregnancy of 220 µg.
As a healthcare professional, I am highly concerned at the recommendation of eating this much bread. Bread contains minimal other nutrients and has a high glycaemic index, and there really is no added health benefit of eating so much processed flour.
Iodine is essential for fetal nervous system and brain development. Much research has been done into the benefits of iodine supplementation during pregnancy and in childhood on children’s cognitive function and IQ.
Supplementing with iodine on a daily basis during pregnancy is a positive means of ensuring your baby is getting what it needs for a healthy brain...and your digestion will thank you for not eating half a loaf of bread every day.
Want to know more about iodine? Check out www.iodine.blackmores.com.au
Rahmann, A. et al. Urinary iodine deficiency in Gippsland pregnancy women: the failure of bread fortification? MJA 2011; 194 (5): 240-243.