as a stabilizer to prevent potassium iodide from oxidizing and evaporating. Anti-caking agents such as calcium silicate are commonly added to table salt to prevent clumping. In public health initiatives Worldwide, iodine deficiency affects two billion people and is the leading preventable cause of intellectual and developmental disabilities. According to public health experts, iodisation of salt may be the world's simplest and most cost-effective measure available to improve health, only costing US$0.05 per person per year. At the World Summit for Children in 1990, a goal was set to eliminate iodine deficiency by 2000. At that time, 25% of households consumed iodised salt, a proportion that increased to 66% by 2006. Salt producers are often, although not always, supportive of government initiatives to iodize edible salt supplies. Opposition to iodization comes from small salt producers who are concerned about the added expense, private makers of iodine pills, concerns about promoting salt intake, and unfounded rumors that iodization causes AIDS or other illnesses. The United States Food and Drug Administration recommends 150 micrograms (0.15 mg) of iodine per day for adults. Argentina Since 8 May 1967 salt for human or animal use must be iodised, according to the Law 17,259. Syria In the end of eighties of last century, a Syrian endocrinologist Samir Ouaess conducted a research on hypothyroidism and noticed that 90 percent of Syrians suffer from hypothyroidism, 50 percent suffer from health problems as a result of Thyroid deficiency, and 10 percent of students suffer from a decline in their academic level due to that problem. Dr. Ouaess linked these results with the fact that natural drinking water sources in Syria do not contain enough minerals. He presented the result of that study to the Syrian Ministry of Health. After that, adding iodine to salt became almost mandatory till 2021, when the Syrian government canceled the iodization of salt and as a result of economic problems related to economic sanctions. Australia Australian children were identified as being iodine deficient in a survey conducted between 2003 and 2004. As a result of this study the Australian Government mandated that all bread with the exception of "organic" bread must use iodised salt. There remains concern that this initiative is not sufficient for pregnant and lactating women. Brazil Iodine Deficiency Disorders were detected as a major public health issue by Brazilian authorities in the 1950s when about 20% of the population had