Bonsoy Is Back - Without The Iodine

Food Standards Australia (FSANZ) OK's Bonsoy's Return

Four months after excessive iodine in Bonsoy Soy Milk was linked to 10 cases of thyroid dysfunction in New South Wales, a reformulated version of the popular milk substitute has been approved for sale in Australia.

Australian food and health authorities announced today that a version of Bonsoy Soy Milk formulated without kombu seaweed extract will be returning to cafés and store shelves.

Kombu seaweed extract was fingered as the source of elevated iodine in the original Bonsoy Soy Milk formula. Consumption of the high-iodine soy milk is believed to be the cause of 38 cases of thyroid dysfunction that were reported to public health units in Australia between December 23, 2009 and March 15, 2010.

Several Australian consumers who developed thyroid dysfunction have shared their stories on this blog.

FSANZ is coordinating further testing of a range of beverages enriched with seaweed and other seaweed containing products. Any found to have unsafe levels of iodine will be recalled, according to today's announcement.

Australian health authorities are reminding consumers to discard the older formula of Bonsoy Soy Milk and use only the reformulated version of this product.

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