MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon (PIA)—The Provincial Bantay Asin Task Force (PBATF) Team, in coordination with Provincial Health Office’s Sanitary Inspector Sergio Flores, recently conducted a monitoring visit to retail outlets in Malaybalay City public market.

The team collected salt samples from the largest retail stores within the public market and had a ‘salt testing’ to quantify its iodine level.

The PBATF then posted a sticker on each store that passed the ‘test,’ certifying that it sells ‘adequately’ iodized salt.

“This activity is pursuant to the government’s campaign on Republic Act 8172 also known as ‘An Act for Salt Iodization Nationwide (ASIN)’ or ASIN Law,” Flores said.

The campaign is to use not just iodized salt but adequate iodine in salt, as the FNRI study shows a decrease in the median iodine level of household salt.

The sanitary inspector explained that lack of iodine or iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) results in a variety of abnormalities, such as goiter, reproductive failures, like miscarriage and stillbirth, as well as, congenital anomalies, like poor growth, and mental retardation.

Officials and staff of the City Nutrition Office, City Economic Enterprise Development Office, and Ned Melendez of the City Health Office, among other personnel from the city government of Malaybalay, joined the Bukidnon ‘Bantay Asin’ Task Force’s salt watch inside the public market. (JNMV, LGU-Malaybalay/PIA 10-Bukidnon)