Flour in America is allowed to contain Potassium bromate. Flour in Europe, the UK, Canada, Sri Lanka, China, Nigeria, Brazil and Peru can not contain Potassium bromate.

So what is Potassium bromate and why do we care that so many other countries have banned it and America hasn’t? The function of Potassium bromate is to get the bread to rise higher. Ideally the Potassium bromate is completely used up in baking. This is ideally, the conditions have to be perfect in order for this to happen. Potassium bromate is considered a category 2B carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.  A category 2B carcinogen means that it is possibly carcinogenic to humans. “The primary concern regarding the use of bromates in baking is its demonstrated link to cancer in laboratory animals. It was first found to induce tumors in rats in 1982. However, since 1991, instead of banning bromate outright the FDA, with somewhat limited success, has merely encouraged bakers to voluntarily stop using it.”(from the King Arthur flour website)

I understand the word possibly is in the definition of category 2B carcinogen but I wouldn’t knowingly eat poison that could possibly kill me would you?

The state of California requires that a warning label be used whenever bromated flour is in the food. That seems like the least we can get, it is better than nothing but really, why is it that we in America can not expect the same food safety as other countries? I grew up thinking we were leaders and instead it seems we tolerate more things that are bad for us than any other large country.

Here is what you can do:

1. Buy flour that is unbromated. (King Arthur is a great choice).

2. Ask wherever you buy baked goods what type of flour they use, if it is not unbromated ask them to consider switching.

3. Request your grocery store offer unbromated flour, if they don’t already.

4. Call the FDA or write to them and request they act on this matter quickly.

5. Call your state government and ask them to follow California in requiring warning labels on food containing potassium bromate.

If enough people ask and demand then we can get changes made.

-Sheri