Moldovan TV star Mircea Surdu promotes iodized salt.
“Small things make a difference, whether they are on the television, or in the kitchen,” says Mircea Surdu, the most popular television presenter in Moldova. To convince Moldovans to use iodized salt instead of non-iodized salt, Mircea agreed to appear in a series of UNICEF documentaries, playing a typical “housewife”. “It took me a while to accept the UNICEF proposal, because my audience knows me as a more serious character than an actor in a kitchen. However, I found the idea very interesting. Moreover, I became curious to learn whether or not iodized salt altered the taste of pickled vegetables,” recalls Mircea. For villagers – the target population of the UNICEF campaign - Mircea is a living legend. His talk show ”Good evening” is the longest running TV show in Moldova today. The way the eccentric TV presenter treats his guests, by asking the most ordinary people very difficult questions, has gained him popularity with audiences. Iodine is an essential mineral for the proper development and growth of the brain - in the baby in the womb and in humans in general. Since most of the salt consumed by people comes from processed food such as bread, tinned vegetables and cheese, this food needs to be produced with iodized salt. Throughout the long winter months, most households in Moldova would eat vegetables preserved or tinned with non-iodized salt. As part of a UNICEF's efforts to promote universal salt iodization, super TV-star Mircea Surdu and his creative team were invited to produce a series that would get the iodized salt message across to viewers. Visits were part of the documentary. The team visited first the most crowded markets and shops in the capital and bought iodized and non-iodized salt. Then, in the presence of several people and the workers at the Orhei Vit cannery, Mircea tinned tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables with iodized and non-iodized salt in an attempt to test the myth that iodized salt left an unpleasant taste in pickled vegetables and altered their prized quality – crunchiness. “Before participating in the project, all my acquaintances told me it was a waste of time and that iodized salt is not good for pickling,“ Mircea told us. “They were so adamant that I thought it would be difficult to convince people otherwise, regardless of the actual results. Even I had my doubts for a while.” “That is why we involved a famous Moldovan TV star in the national communication campaign and pickling study,” says Viorica Berdaga, the coordinator of UNICEF’s Early Childhood Care and Development Programme. “Mircea is so popular that the majority of people will listen to what he says. We are confident that if he tells housewives, iodized salt is good for pickling vegetables. I have tried it myself! they will believe and follow him. And if not all, most of them.” In Moldova, UNICEF’s campaign to promote iodized salt caused a lot of debate, especially among women who believe that iodine negatively impacts the taste and crunchiness of pickled vegetables. Vegetables are what Moldovans most eat throught winter, so most households buy large quantities of common salt and store it for two to three years. “I must admit that I had never considered the importance of salt before participating in the communication campaign and filming/documenting the pickling experiment. For me, salt was something to add taste, not to protect against ill health. The most useful lesson for me during the campaign, which I tell people about, is that iodized salt is a simple medicine. Small things make a big difference!” The UNICEF campaign was revolutionary for Moldovans. During the campaign period, consumption of iodized salt increased by about 15%. Thousands of people now understand how important it is to use it, especially for children. Many of them were convinced by Mircea Surdu. Author: Tatiana Tibuleac
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