Iodine content of commonly consumed foods and water from the goitre-endemic northeast region of India

Iodine content of commonly consumed foods and water from goitre-endemic northeast India is reported. The iodine content of water ranged between 3.0 and 31.5 μg litre−1 with 82% of the samples containing 5–10 μg litre−1. Pooled mean water iodine content from northeast India (7.38±2.7 μg litre−1) was very low compared with non-endemic areas like Hyderabad (36.5±4.8 μg litre−1. Similarly, foods from northeast India had low iodine with all the samples analysed exhibiting iodine contents below 30 μg per 100 g sample. Commonly consumed foods like cereals, legumes, spices, roots and tubers were 30–76% lower than values encountered from non-endemic areas like Hyderabad. The low iodine in foods and water from goitre-endemic northeast India reflects the environmental iodine deficiency in the region.