Potassium Bromate

Potassium Bromate is usually added to bread and other flours as a maturing agent which promotes gluten development in dough, making the bread stronger and more elastic.
Bromate is also considered a category 2B carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), meaning that it may be harmful when consumed. In theory, the substance is sulpposed to bake out of bread dough as it cooks, but if too much is added, or if the bread is not cooked long enough or not at a high enough temperature, then a residual amount will remain.

Potassium Bromate has been banned from use in food products in Europe, as well as the United Kingdom in 1990, and Canada in 1994, and most other countries. It was banned in Sri Lanka in 2001 and China in 2005. It is also banned in Nigeria, Brazil and Peru.

It is not banned in the United States. But in California a warning label is required when bromated flour is used. The FDA currently permits the addition of Potassium Bromate in flour provided that its inclusion does not exceed .0075 parts for each 100 parts of weight of the flour (or 750 parts per million). http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~Ird/FCF136.html.

Potassium Bromate (KBrO3) has been used as a food additive in the treatment of flour and barley and as a constituent in cold-wave hair solution. it is also formed as a by-product during the disinfection of water by ozonation. KBrO3 is reportedly known to increase bacterial mutation and to cause renal cell tumors in rats. http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scienceforums/forum02/D-04.htm.

To avoid packaged foods that contain bromate, look for "potassium bromate" or "bromated flour" in the ingredient list. Bromated flour is likely to be found in your local pizza shop, but not in Dominos Pizza or Pizza Hut. You will find bromated flour in Arby's French Toastix and Burger King's hamburger buns. You will find it in most of your supermarket flour brands. Gold Medal flours by General Mills now also has Unbromated flour, it is stated on the front of the package.

Whole Foods Markets lists both bromated flour and potassium bromate as unacceptable ingredients for food on its website: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/unacceptable-ingredients.php.