The Malaysian Health Ministry is amending the existing food regulations to include recommended minimum and maximum iodine levels in infant formula.
Health Ministry Food Safety and Quality senior director for Noraini Othman said the current regulations do not include minimum level of iodine in infant formula.
"The recommendation is in line with the Codex Alimentarius/Stan-dard for Infant Formula,"Othman added.
Under the new regulations,the minimum level of iodine in baby formula will be 10 microgram/100kcal,while the maximum level will be 60 microgram/100kcal,reported Thestar.com.my.
The new regulations also specify iodine levels for baby formula intended for treatment.These products will be divided into five divisions:baby formula for anti-regurgitation;baby formula without lactose;soy-based baby formula;completely dehydrolysed protein baby formula;and baby formula for premature babies.
For all the categories,the iodine levels will be the same as those for the standard baby formula,except for premature baby formula,where the recommended minimum level will be 10microgram/100kcal and maximum 50 microgram/100kcal.
