• Health concerns over additives used in bread-making
• Nagaland govt awaits intimation from the centre
The recent report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), warning about the presence of cancer causing agents in bread has sent alarm bells ringing across the country. According to the CSE, the finding was based on a study conducted by it. It has prompted the Union Health Ministry to order the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to further investigate the CSE findings and report to the Ministry immediately.
The chemical agents – potassium bromate and potassium iodate, traces of which were reported found in samples of bread and allied bakery products of leading food manufacturers, according to research are believed to be carcinogenic in nature i.e. could cause cancer. The chemical agents are used as additives in dough to improve texture and finish and has been banned in several countries in Europe and in Asia while its use is reported to be permitted in the USA.
In India, the Food Safety Regulations (2011) stipulates a ceiling of 50 parts per million (PPM) of the agents in bread and 20 PPM in allied food products. The CSE findings have nevertheless prompted the health authority of the country to have a rethink on its use.
Meanwhile, in Nagaland, the state government is still to make a move on the reported findings. Commissioner & Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, M. Patton when contacted by The Morung Express maintained it is aware of the CSE’s report but has yet to take any initiative. “There has been no intimation in this regard from the Centre so far but we do expect it will come,” said Patton. In the event there is no such communiqué, he added that the state government can still make necessary arrangement to collect samples for analysis.
Further, bakeries here are also still to make a declaration on the kind of additives used in food products. Two prominent bakeries in Dimapur though maintained that no chemical agents are used in their products. According to them, yeast is the primary agent used in the dough to make bread while baking powder is used for making biscuits, they said.
One of them said that potassium bromate and iodate are used as additives to extend the shelf life of food products and are normally used by big manufacturers, which deal in large scale production.
As regards the health concerns, a Nagaland-based Oncologist, Dr. Shankar Debroy said that potassium bromate and iodate are recognised as class 2B carcinogens, while adding that long term exposure can increase the chances of cancer in humans. “(Generally) the effect of any carcinogen on the body is not noticed or felt immediately.” As far as bread was concerned, Dr. Debroy said he was in no position to comment.
Another resident doctor had a similar take as did the AIIMS Director, Dr. MC Mishra. The latter was quoted in news reports as stating there was no need to panic about the presence of the chemicals in pre-packaged food. The AIIMS Director observed that it might pose danger when ingested in huge quantities over a long period of time.
The Dimapur-based doctor, who wished to remain anonymous, held that people tend to get alarmed whenever there is mention of chemicals in food. “But we must also remember that meat… smoked meat is also carcinogenic.” He said that unregulated consumption of meat can be just as harmful as the aforementioned chemicals.
On the bread produced here, he said, “If what the bakers say is true there is nothing to be alarmed about,” the doctor added.
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