The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) wants further research into whether using iodine in livestock feed could pose health problems to meat and dairy product consumers.


Its FEEDAP Panel on animal feed additives and products is concerned iodine is also consumed through iodine-enriched salt and other food items, tablets, and iodine-enriched beverages. These, it fears, could cause upper consumption limits to be exceeded, set by the World Health Organisation at 1 mg/day for adults, (and lower limits for younger consumers).


A FEEDAP report highlighted a “need for more and updated data on…. the actual impact of iodine supplements in feeds on total iodine dietary intake of humans”.