EFSA Opens Public Consultation on Iodine Dietary Reference Values

The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA’s) Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) has launched a public consultation for its draft scientific opinion on dietary reference values for iodine. Using data from “a large epidemiological study in European school-aged children showing that goiter prevalence is lowest for a urinary iodine concentration ≥ 100 μg/L,” NDA has proposed setting adequate intake (AI) levels for iodine at 150 μg/day for adults and between 70 μg/day and 130 μg/day for infants aged 7-11 months and all children. The panel has also recommended an AI of 200 μg/day for pregnant and lactating women, which takes into account “the additional needs due to increased maternal thyroid hormone production and the iodine uptake by the fetus, placenta and amniotic fluid” as well as “the existence of large iodine stores in conditions of adequate iodine status before pregnancy.” EFSA will accept comments on the draft scientific opinion until February 26, 2014.

Issue 510