Factors Affecting Iodine Content in Dairy Cow’s Milk – a Review.

ABSTRACT

Recently, milk has been suggested as one of the main sources of iodine for human intake. However, there is the potential for problems resulting from excessive amounts of iodine in cow milk. Supplementary feed iodine increases milk iodine and is apparently the cause of many of the high milk iodine values. Iodine teat dips and sanitizers also contribute to increased milk iodine values. Variability of these practices may result in variation of iodine concentrations in milk. In addition, the transportation and processing phases of milk production, where iodophor sanitizers are used, season, geographic region, stage of lactation and iodine antagonists in feeds, may influence milk iodine concentration. It seems that Iodine concentration in milk should be monitored, regularly.