Dear Editor,
This refers to your editorial “Bread Politics” (ST- May 26). It is surprising that commonly consumed bread manufactured by leading Indian companies were found to contain potassium bromate and potassium iodate, both cancer-causing chemicals. First it was pesticides in colas, then lead in instant noodles, and now potassium bromate in breads.
In 1999, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified potassium bromate as possibly carcinogenic (cancer causing) to humans. Many countries have banned the use of potassium bromate and potassium iodate in bread and the report shows that food safety awareness in India is still abysmally poor.
Potassium bromate is a powerful oxidising agent, use of which makes bread fluffy, soft and gives it a good finish.It is nice that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is going to notify the removal of the chemicals from the list of additives based on a recommendation of its scientific panel.
Most of the packaged food available in India has some amount of harmful ingredients due to relaxed or no regulation from GoI. Govt must take this seriously and test the samples in an independent laboratory. Bread is used by kids and recovering patients in delicate condition as it is soft to eat.
Vinod C. Dixit
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