Juan José Arrizabalaga1, Mercedes Jalón2, Mercedes Espada3, Mercedes Cañas2, Pedro María Latorre4. 1. Servicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Universitario Araba-Araba Unibertsitate Ospitalea, Osakidetza-Servicio Vasco de Salud, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, España. Electronic address: JUANJOSE.ARRIZABALAGAABASOLO@osakidetza.net. 2. Evaluación de Riesgos Alimentarios, Dirección de Salud Pública, Gobierno Vasco-Eusko Jaurlaritza, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, España. 3. Unidad de Química Clínica, Laboratorio Normativo de Salud Pública, Departamento de Sanidad y Consumo, Gobierno Vasco-Eusko Jaurlaritza, Derio, Bizkaia, España. 4. Unidad de Investigación, Atención Primaria de Bizkaia, Osakidetza-Servicio Vasco de Salud, Bilbao, Bizkaia, España.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Changes to dairy cow feeding have made milk a very important food source of iodine in several European countries and in USA. We aimed to measure the iodine content in ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk, the most widely consumed milk in Spain and in the south-west of Europe. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Every month, throughout 2008, UHT milk samples of commercial brands available in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Basque Country, Spain) were collected and their iodine content was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography, according to official method 992.22 of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists International. RESULTS: The average (SD) iodide content and median (P25-P75) of standard UHT milk samples (n=489) were 197.6 (58.1) and 190 (159-235) μg/L, respectively. There were no significant differences between the iodide content in whole, semi-skimmed and skimmed milk (P=.219). The average iodide concentration and median in organic UHT milk (n=12) were 56.4 (8.6) and 55 (50.5-61.5) μg/L, figures that are much lower than those found in standard milk (P<.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Standard UHT milk available in our food-retailing outlets constitutes a very important source of iodine. One glass of standard UHT milk (200-250mL) provides an average amount of 50μg of iodine. This amount represents around 50% of the iodine intake recommended during childhood or 20% of the iodine intake recommended for pregnant and lactating women.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Changes to dairy cow feeding have made milk a very important food source of iodine in several European countries and in USA. We aimed to measure the iodine content in ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk, the most widely consumed milk in Spain and in the south-west of Europe. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Every month, throughout 2008, UHT milk samples of commercial brands available in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Basque Country, Spain) were collected and their iodine content was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography, according to official method 992.22 of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists International. RESULTS: The average (SD) iodide content and median (P25-P75) of standard UHT milk samples (n=489) were 197.6 (58.1) and 190 (159-235) μg/L, respectively. There were no significant differences between the iodide content in whole, semi-skimmed and skimmed milk (P=.219). The average iodide concentration and median in organic UHT milk (n=12) were 56.4 (8.6) and 55 (50.5-61.5) μg/L, figures that are much lower than those found in standard milk (P<.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Standard UHT milk available in our food-retailing outlets constitutes a very important source of iodine. One glass of standard UHT milk (200-250mL) provides an average amount of 50μg of iodine. This amount represents around 50% of the iodine intake recommended during childhood or 20% of the iodine intake recommended for pregnant and lactating women.