Iodine content in red or pink color food

Abstract

Synthetic food colors available in food industry for attractive consumers. In previous study, found that meat product contented high iodine due to synthetic food color, erythrosine. Iodine surveillance project of department of health showed median urine concentration in preschool children, aged 3-5 years, 224.2, 212.6 and 226.6 ug/l in 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively. Median urinary iodine concentration of 100-199 ug/l indicate iodine intake adequate and 200-299 ug/l indicate iodine intake above requirement. That mean the children may consume high iodine. This study was conducted to determine iodine content in red or pink foods that preschool like to eat. The food sample divided to 5 categories: sausage and meatball, milk and milk product, beverage, desert and jelly. Collected the food samples from retail shop in front of school and market in Bangkok, Nontaburi, Patumtani and Supanburi. The result showed that pink food contain high iodine such as red or pink sausage, strawberry flavor milk, pink Si-mai desert, pink cake and strawberry flavor wafer. Color testing showed erythrosine in high iodine food samples. Erythrosine composed of 57.7% iodine, thus high iodine content was found in red or pink food samples. So that, Thai FDA and MOPH should recommend food producer about using of synthetic food colors especially erythrosine in sausage and meat product.