[Iodine content of infant food in Austria].

An adequate iodine supplementation is essential for the normal and intellectual development in premature birth and in newborns. The ceric arsenite reaction method modified by the authors was applied to examine whether a sufficient iodine content in milk samples of four manufacturers ensured the iodine supply of bottlefed preterms and fullterms. Only very few of 23 preparations examined contained the required iodine content recommended by the Food and Drug Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Research Council of the United States, the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, and the German Society of Nutrition. It could be demonstrated that the majority of the commercially available baby food-milk preparations contained insufficient quantities of iodine. To assure a sufficient iodine supply in this bottlefed group it would be necessary to add a varied quantity of iodine to formula milk or to prepare baby food with iodine containing mineral water. Moreover, manufacturers might use milk from cows fed with iodinated salt. The results show clearly that an improvement in iodine content of commercial baby food is essential for the cerebral development of solely bottlefed newborns.