IODINE CONTENT OF CANADIAN RETAIL MILK SAMPLES .2. AFTER THE ETHYLENEDIAMINE DIHYDROIODIDE BAN

Whole and partially skimmed (2% fat) retail milk samples were collecte d from across Canada and analysed for their iodine content to determin e whether this had decreased since the imposition of a ban on the use of ethylenediamine dihydroiodide (EDDI) to prevent foot rot in cattle. The mean iodine concentration +/- standard deviation ranged from 177 +/- 35 mug/litre to 456 +/- 151 mug/litre, with individual samples ran ging from 87 to 1304 mug/litre. The national mean concentrations for b oth whole and partially skimmed samples were not significantly differe nt (p > 0.05) from the values obtained prior to the imposition of the EDDI ban, although some differences were observed in a few regions. Th us, except in a few instances, the change in regulations on the use of EDDI has had minimal effect on the iodine levels in milk.