Patchwork!

Abstract

In his regular column, the author discusses the experience of the countries of the Eastern and Southern Europe and Central Asia region in the aspect of adopting the draft federal law “On Amending Article 15 of the Federal Law “On Food Quality and Safety””, which is currently under consideration by Russian authorities. These changes set some mandatory requirements for the production, trade and use of iodized salt in the baking industry. If in the original form the draft law proposed a complex of rational measures to prevent iodine deficiency, the revised version restricts the mandatory use of iodized salt only by public catering organizations available to a relatively small segment of the population of Russia. At the same time, large groups of people living in rural areas, pregnant and lactating women, as well as low- and middle-income people remain without attention. Adopting the law in its current form will create a false impression that the measures are taken. But in fact, there is little that will change.