The Lemon Fool

There is an article in todays Telegraph saying that experts want iodine to be added to table salt (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/0 ... potential/) mainly because modern fad eating habits are threatening the born and unborn with mental undevelopment due to iodine deficiency.

I definitely remember from school chemistry learning that iodine was added to British table salt, yet looking at our current salt cannister the only additive is sodium hexacyanoferrate II anti caking agent. Does anyone know when and why they stopped adding ioding to salt?

The water in Birmingham has added fluoride. There are arguments both ways on this. There is a legitimate argument that putting fluoride in the water is not the most cost effective way of getting better teeth for children. I, for now, support the fluoridation of Birmingham's water.

If you want iodine in your salt then Lidl sell table salt with iodine added. I get it for my vegan daughter. Most salt in the UK does not have added iodine.

John

Most salt in the UK does not have added iodine.

I'm sure it used to. As a child in the 50s I can see the salt canister in the larder in the kitchen where below the brand name it said 'Iodised table salt'. It was a well known brand too though I can't actually remember the brand only the phrase on the box.

Cerebos https://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/C ... t/56665011 ?

"SEE HOW IT RUNS!"

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/183381016052767124/

XFool wrote:"SEE HOW IT RUNS!"

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/183381016052767124/

Yes I never could understand that Cerebos advert. Are chicks particularly scared of salt? Will they dissolve like slugs? How many instances of animal cruelty did that advert give rise to?

But my point was really that I thought all UK salt was iodized, so it was a great surprise to discover that it isn't.

Nimrod103 wrote:

XFool wrote:"SEE HOW IT RUNS!"

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/183381016052767124/

Yes I never could understand that Cerebos advert. Are chicks particularly scared of salt? Will they dissolve like slugs? How many instances of animal cruelty did that advert give rise to?

I suppose it was simply an image of 'running' that matched the advertising slogan.

Nimrod103 wrote:But my point was really that I thought all UK salt was iodized, so it was a great surprise to discover that it isn't.

Actually, so did I.

There was/is a myth that salting a bird's tail enables one to catch it, as it supposedly stops them flying.
Bit pointless with a chicken

Nimrod103 wrote: yet looking at our current salt cannister the only additive is sodium hexacyanoferrate II anti caking agent.

Surprising, since it has cyanide in it, presumably inert in that form.
As a teenager I used to use Potassium Hexacynoferrate II [or III?] as part of an extremely fast percussion explosive. Don't remember the precise recipe now, but I/we used it to make percussion caps/fuses for 'other bigger stuff'.

DiamondEcho wrote:

Nimrod103 wrote: yet looking at our current salt cannister the only additive is sodium hexacyanoferrate II anti caking agent.

Surprising, since it has cyanide in it, presumably inert in that form.
As a teenager I used to use Potassium Hexacynoferrate II [or III?] as part of an extremely fast percussion explosive. Don't remember the precise recipe now, but I/we used it to make percussion caps/fuses for 'other bigger stuff'.

Wikipedia says it is a common chemical additive E535, and has low toxicity. I think the iron stabilizes it, so it has very low toxicity compared to say sodium cyanide or hydrogen cyanide (Prussic acid).

Nimrod103 wrote:Wikipedia says it is a common chemical additive E535, and has low toxicity. I think the iron stabilizes it, so it has very low toxicity compared to say sodium cyanide or hydrogen cyanide (Prussic acid).

Ah, thanks, perhaps it is used as an anti-caking agent or similar. Talking of additives I wonder how many people realise that a lot of brown sugar is simply white sugar dyed brown. And, it used to be - perhaps still is - that all white sugar was made whiter by the addition of a titanium oxide whitening agent [I forget the precise oxide form, but learned this when working for a sugar importer/exporter/broker].