Invited commentary in response to the paper entitled ‘Iodine concentration of milk-alternative drinks available in the UK in comparison with cows’ milk’ by Sarah Bath and colleagues

• Published in: British journal of nutrition Vol. 118; no. 11; pp. 879 - 880
• Main Author: Brito, André F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 14-12-2017
• Subjects: Algae; Animals; Ascophyllum nodosum; Beverages; Cattle; Consumers; Cow's milk; Dairy industry; Female; Food; Invited Commentary; Iodine; Iodine - analysis; Milk; Milk - chemistry; Nutrient deficiency; Nutrition; Oryza; Rice; Thyroid gland; Trifolium repens; United Kingdom; Veganism; Womens health; United Kingdom; United Kingdom > UK; United States > US
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1017/S0007114517003117

Authors pointed out that the amount of iodine (range from 0·9 to 4·3[...]g) provided by a glass (200 ml) of unfortified milk-alternative drinks is negligible relative to the adult iodine recommendation of 150[...]g/d(8,9), thereby indicating that these products are not suitable substitutes for cows' milk. [...]consumers of unfortified milk-alternative beverages should be aware of the potential health implications of insufficient iodine intake, especially those with greater risks for iodine deficiency such as pregnant and lactating women, school-age children and vegans(4,10,11). [...]Food Standards Australia New Zealand(16)recalled batches of a kombu-fortified soya drink containing extremely high iodine concentration (25 000[...]g/l)(15). Authors demonstrated using state-of-art analytical approach (inductively coupled plasma-MS) that the iodine concentration of non-iodine-fortified milk-alternative drinks is extremely low, indicating that companies commercialising these beverages should consider fortification measures to mitigate potential iodine deficiency in certain groups of people. Overall, iodine nutrition is very complex as iodine deficiency or excess can lead to serious implications to human health. [...]emerging food sources and industries should be scrutinised through scientific and legislative approaches so consumers' health are not put at risk.