CSE urges ban on use of potassium iodate in bread

HIGHLIGHTS

• Govt yesterday banned use of potassium bromate in bread, other food.
• 84% of 38 brands of breads, tested positive for potassium bromate and potassium iodate, banned in many countries.

NEW DELHI: Welcoming the country's central food safety authority's ban on possible cancer causing chemical potassium bromate, the Delhi-based think-tank - the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) - on Tuesday urged the authority to also ban use of potassium iodate in bread-making at the earliest.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Monday, through a notification, removed potassium bromate from the list of approved additives and banned its use across the country.

Potassium bromate is a known possible cancer-causing chemical.

The CSE had in May highlighted the use and presence of residues of potassium bromate and/or potassium iodate in bread-making in India and demanded immediate ban on these chemicals in bread-making.

"We are happy to know that the FSSAI has banned the use of potassium bromate. Our study on bread last month raised this issue and FSSAI had announced to ban it soon. We welcome the prompt action. The chemical was banned in most parts of the world but allowed in India until now. The new law will reduce public health risk from a possible cancer-causing chemical," said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general of the CSE.

Reacting on the ban, Bhushan on Tuesday said, "We had also recommended a ban on the use of potassium iodate as a flour treatment agent in bread-making. The industry has already declared not to use both these chemicals in public interest. We hope that the FSSAI soon prohibits use of potassium iodate as well".

Both Potassium Bromate and Potassium Iodate have been banned in several countries worldwide due to their possible adverse health effects.

The CSE had last month flagged that the use of Potassium iodate in bread can lead to excess iodine intake which could be linked to certain thyroid-related diseases.

"Subsequently, the All India Bread Manufacturer's Association, representing the organised industry, had declared to withdraw the use of potassium bromate and potassium iodate", said the CSE in a statement.