[Assessment of iodine content in household cooking salt in a goiter-endemic area in Man city, western Ivory Coast].

Insufficient daily dietary iodine intake is responsible for a range of disorders collectively referred to as iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), including endemic goiter and hypothyroidism. The city of Man, located in a goiter-endemic area, has not previously been the subject of a study evaluating the iodine content of household cooking salt. The purpose of this study was to assess iodine content in household cooking salt in the city of Man, a goiter-endemic area in Côte d'Ivoire, and to identify factors contributing to iodine degradation. We conducted a one-month descriptive cross-sectional study focused on measuring the iodine content of salt samples randomly collected from households and commercial outlets. A total of 160 households and 2 wholesale suppliers were included. The iodine content of household salt was found to be below WHO standards (<15 ppm) in 81% of cases, below the national standard (<30 ppm) in 85% of cases, and entirely non-iodized in 10% of samples. The city had two retail outlets, both of which sold salt with iodine content below the recommended standard. Storage methods using transparent plastic and polyethylene containers were strongly associated with low iodine levels in salt (p=0.0063), whereas metallic containers were associated with normal iodine levels (p=0.0063). Storage time did not significantly influence iodine degradation (p=0.075). There is a deficiency in iodine content of household cooking salt, falling below both the WHO. This finding calls for routine monitoring by relevant authorities and the implementation of preventive measures. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of such interventions.