Bread makers to stop using potassium bromateDecision follows 40% decline in sales due to health scare
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The companies, however, would raise several questions over the methodology used by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in its study that was released through the media rather than the professional practice of scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal. File photo
Leading bread makers on Thursday said they would stop using potassium bromate as an ingredient, days after a Delhi-based CSE raised public health concerns on its use. The bread makers took the steps following almost 40% decline in sales in several states following the scare.
The companies, however, would raise several questions over the methodology used by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in its study that was released through the media rather than the professional practice of scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
“We would withdraw use of potassium bromate in the next two-three days and use alternatives like enzymes and emulsifiers that would not necessarily add to the cost,” said Abil Hassan, managing director of Harvest Gold.
The company’s product was sampled by CSE and it claimed to have found residues of potassium bromate and potassium iodate in 34 out of 38 bread samples.
Potassium bromate is a legally permissible food additive in India. Potassium bromate is an oxidising agent, which makes bread fluffy, soft and gives it a good finish.
Under ideal baking conditions, bromate gets converted into harmless bromide, which CSE claims does not happen in India. Some of the samples CSE tested contained residue of bromate.
“We will ask the regulator (FSSAI) to come out with a standard protocol for such tests. This report was not shared with us. We don’t know the methods and sampling. Such reports should be checked by the regulator first,” said a member of the All-India Bread Manufacturers Association. Bread making is a Rs 7,000 crore business in India as almost 150 lakh loaves of bread are sold everyday. There are close to 70,000 bakeries involving 35 lakh people.
While potassium bromate is a possible carcinogen, potassium iodate is not. Excessive consumption of bread carrying potassium iodate can cause thyroid disorder, but the study does not specify how much bread one has to eat for such adverse health effects to manifest. The spectrometer for the test does not differentiate between potassium bromate and potassium iodate.
CSE deputy director Chandra Bhushan said four of the 34 samples that tested positive had been sent to an independent laboratory. It confirmed bromate in two samples and iodate in one, but the fourth contained neither.
The NGO claimed it found 84% samples containing either bromate or iodate, but did not distinguish how many of them carried bromate or how many had iodate.
The companies, however, would raise several questions over the methodology used by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in its study that was released through the media rather than the professional practice of scientific publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
“We would withdraw use of potassium bromate in the next two-three days and use alternatives like enzymes and emulsifiers that would not necessarily add to the cost,” said Abil Hassan, managing director of Harvest Gold.
The company’s product was sampled by CSE and it claimed to have found residues of potassium bromate and potassium iodate in 34 out of 38 bread samples.
Potassium bromate is a legally permissible food additive in India. Potassium bromate is an oxidising agent, which makes bread fluffy, soft and gives it a good finish.
Under ideal baking conditions, bromate gets converted into harmless bromide, which CSE claims does not happen in India. Some of the samples CSE tested contained residue of bromate.
“We will ask the regulator (FSSAI) to come out with a standard protocol for such tests. This report was not shared with us. We don’t know the methods and sampling. Such reports should be checked by the regulator first,” said a member of the All-India Bread Manufacturers Association. Bread making is a Rs 7,000 crore business in India as almost 150 lakh loaves of bread are sold everyday. There are close to 70,000 bakeries involving 35 lakh people.
While potassium bromate is a possible carcinogen, potassium iodate is not. Excessive consumption of bread carrying potassium iodate can cause thyroid disorder, but the study does not specify how much bread one has to eat for such adverse health effects to manifest. The spectrometer for the test does not differentiate between potassium bromate and potassium iodate.
CSE deputy director Chandra Bhushan said four of the 34 samples that tested positive had been sent to an independent laboratory. It confirmed bromate in two samples and iodate in one, but the fourth contained neither.
The NGO claimed it found 84% samples containing either bromate or iodate, but did not distinguish how many of them carried bromate or how many had iodate.