Sorry, I can't let your quote go by unchallenged! It not only contains some inaccurate statements, but you failed to state the source, a violation of copyright law.

The government's insistence on iodine-fortified products is really hard on people like me who are allergic to iodine. I developed this allergy from using iodine to disinfect my water in the 1980's when the "beaver fever" (aka giardia) scare first developed. After about six weeks of weekend dayhikes and a couple of weekend backpacks, I developed a horrible rash, consisting of deep lesions (lichen planus) which itched horribly and left permanent scars. Since then I've had to avoid anything that contains higher levels of iodine, such as any food made with iodized salt or sea salt, all seafood, seaweed, vitamin/mineral supplements. I have to spend a lot of time reading labels because a surprising number of items, including some cereals and most "energy bars" have iodine added. I have to keep reading the labels every time--Luna Bars, which I used to like, recently started adding iodine.

Fortunately, should I ever need an angiogram, they have recently developed non-iodine dyes. I have to be ever alert, though, because so many medical personnel don't bother to ask! I have been told that iodine allergy is not all that rare. Per my dermatologist, iodine can also aggravate a number of skin disorders, including acne and rosacea.

In the 1920's, people did not die of goiter, although some may have died of complications from the surgery for it.

Now that our food supply routinely comes from all over the country rather than from one local area, the risk of iodine deficiency even without supplementation is almost non-existent. However, there is still this attitude left over from the "bad old days," even in the medical establishment who should know better, that insists on iodine fortification of salt and a number of other foods. It's so totally unnecessary and has caused me a lot of grief. I basically have to turn down all social invitations because people have been brainwashed into thinking they absolutely have to use iodized salt. I've found it far easier just to say "no thank you" when invited for dinner than to insist on a special unsalted meal or ask them to use non-iodized salt. In restaurants, I have to stick to salad with oil and vinegar and unsalted steak, and I often have to be really assertive about it.