Region VIII Bantay Asin Task Force (RBATF) spearheaded by NNC and FDA, reported high iodine content of salt samples from Tacloban and Catbalogan City compared to Maasin City during the feedback meeting in Ormoc City.
Dr. Sonia Cabahit, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Region 8, Supervisor and Chairperson of RBATF, presented the results of the salt samples collected in Tacloban City last February 18, 2016, Maasin City last October 27, 2016 and Catbalogan City last November 15, 2016. During the salt monitoring, the RBATF team together with the local sanitary inspector and police officer, took 250 grams of salt samples from the selected retailers in the public market, grocery stores and salt warehouses in the city. The salt samples were sent to Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Regional office 8 laboratory to test the iodine content of salt through Iodometric Titration method. Salt samples should attain the minimum acceptable limit of 20 parts per million (ppm).

For Tacloban City, there were seven establishments monitored and all samples achieved more than the acceptable limit. The Iodine content of salt samples collected contain 36 ppm to 74.1ppm. In Catbalogan city, there were six establishments that were monitored and all of them passed the acceptable limit. The titration range of iodine on the samples collected is from 21.2 ppm to 40.8 ppm. Both Tacloban and Catbalogan city obtain salt supplies from Mindoro. This report points out that salts used in every households of both cities were iodine fortified thus reducing risk of acquiring iodine deficiency anemia and other related disorders.
In the public market of Maasin City, salt samples were collected from the four retailers. The Iodine content of salt samples only contain 10.1 ppm to 24.9 ppm. There were two samples that did not pass the acceptable limit and discovered that the supplier is from Cebu city. For this concern, National Nutrition Council (NNC) Region 8 will coordinate to NNC Region 7 for close monitoring and follow up. The low titration rate could be due to improper storage, like salts were exposed to the sun and hot temperature and poor ventilation in the warehouses causing moisty texture, according to the RBATF team.
Salt test results will be reported to the concerned LGUs and distributors when official result is at hand from DOST.