Politics and Technology of Salt Iodization. Unlike some
120 countries (including Canada and parts of Mexico) (13, 14),
which adapted mandatory iodization of all food grade salt,
salt iodization is voluntary in the United States. Veteran
congresswoman Frances Bolton once attempted to legislate
mandatory salt iodization; the salt producers association
prevailed with the argument that this is medication by
legislation (15). Failingmandatory iodization, the U.S. Public
Health Service launched a nationwide educational program
in 1949 for consumers to ask specifically for iodized salt at
the grocery. The USFDA approves KI (0.006–0.01%) and CuI
(0.01% maximum) as iodization vectors (16), while the World
Health Organization (WHO) prefers KIO3 due to its greater
stability (17). As iodine stabilizers, ingredients approved by
the USFDA for iodide as additive include dextrose (no limit,
typ. 0.0374%) and Na2S2O3 ·5H2O (0.1% max) as well as
NaHCO3,Na2CO3, and Ca3(PO4)2 as buffering agents that also
help prevent iodine loss.