Potassium Bromate
What’s the controversy?
Bromate is a shortcut used by bread-makers to make dough rise higher and to shorten cooking times. If used correctly, the chemical will disappear during baking but if dough is insufficiently heated, potassium bromate can remain.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer found the powder carcinogenic in animals. It is internationally considered a potential cause of cancer in humans, as well as damage to the nervous system.
Banned: In the EU
Bromated flour is banned in the EU, as well as Canada, Sri Lanka, China, Nigeria, Brazil and Peru.
The US Food and Drug Administration has not banned the chemical, which is used widely in US breads and flours.