ITC Foods extends iodine campaign in 2 more states

ITC Foods has extended its iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) awareness campaign to 1,223 villages spread over the four states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh this financial year.

The campaign launched by the Aashirvaad Salt, the branded packaged salt wing, is aimed at giving a thrust to the government's IDD control plan, according to ITC Foods Group Manager of Aashirvaad Prasanna Rai.

The awareness campaign was piloted in Andhra Pradesh and was extended to three other States over the last two years.

Under the activity, vans equipped with audio/visual equipment, travel to the identified towns and villages to spread awareness on the benefits of iodised salt. Besides this, it is also looking forward to other programmes to contribute further to the cause, he added.

A van equipped with WHO-certified iodine testing kit will demonstrate how non-iodised salt and iodised salt react differently to a common chemical in the kit. Iodised salt is sold during the activity coupled with some special offers to get people to opt for iodised salt, he said in a release in Mysore.

"It has been found that in rural areas people mostly consume crystalline salt or loose salt which when tested has shown either nil or inadequate amount of iodine. Most of the people in villages consume this so-called iodised salt and are ignorant of its serious health implications," Prasanna said.