{"hq_id":"hq-p-fod-000088","name":"Potassium Bromate in Bread Flour","category":{"primary":"food_contact","secondary":"food_additive","tags":["potassium bromate","bread","flour","IARC 2B","baking","banned globally"]},"product_tier":"FOD","overall_risk_level":"moderate","description":"Potassium bromate used as flour improver in bread baking — strengthens dough and produces higher rise. IARC Group 2B possible carcinogen (kidney tumors in rats). Banned in EU (1990), UK, Canada, China, India, Brazil, Nigeria, and most of the world. Legal in the US — FDA permits as food additive. California Proposition 65 requires warning label. Most commercial US bread now bromate-free due to consumer pressure, but artisan and small bakery use persists.","synthesis":{"derived_risk_level":"high","synthesis_confidence":0.715,"synthesis_method":"compound_composition","context_used":"human_child","context_source":"product_users","exposure_modifier":0.977,"vulnerability_escalated":true,"escalation_reason":"Child exposure group","compounds_resolved":1,"compounds_total":1,"synthesis_date":"2026-05-09","synthesis_version":"1.2.0","methodology_note":"exposure_modifier and adjusted_magnitude are computed from ALETHEIA-calibrated heuristics (route × duration × frequency multipliers, clamped to [0.5, 1.4]). Multipliers are directionally informed by EPA Exposure Factors Handbook (2011) and CalEPA OEHHA but are not regulatory consensus. See /api/methodology for full disclosure."},"hazard_summary":{"sensitive_populations":"daily bread consumers, children","overall_risk":"moderate","primary_concerns":["IARC Group 2B possible carcinogen — kidney tumors in rats","Banned in EU, UK, Canada, China, India, Brazil — legal only in US and Japan","Residual bromate in underbaked products"],"exposure_routes":"Oral via bread and baked goods from bromated flour"},"exposure":{"routes":["oral"],"contact_types":["oral_direct"],"users":["adult","child"],"duration":"minutes","frequency":"daily","scenarios":["Daily bread consumption from bromated flour","Residual bromate in underbaked bread (proper baking should convert to bromide)","Children's cumulative bread consumption"],"notes":"Proper baking at correct temperature converts bromate to bromide (less toxic). Underbaked or quickly baked products may retain unreacted bromate. Most large US bakeries have voluntarily stopped using bromate. King Arthur, Gold Medal, and Pillsbury flours are bromate-free. Some commercial pizza dough and fast-food buns still use bromated flour."},"consumer_guidance":{"usage_warning":"Check flour labels for 'potassium bromate' or 'bromated flour'. Choose unbromated flour brands. Most major US flour brands are now bromate-free. Ask bakeries if they use bromated flour.","safer_alternatives":["Unbromated flour (King Arthur, Gold Medal, Bob's Red Mill)","Organic flour (USDA organic standards prohibit potassium bromate)","Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) as natural dough improver alternative"],"red_flags":[{"indicator":"Product legal in US but banned/restricted in EU","meaning":"International safety consensus may differ from US regulation.","action":"Check EU regulatory status for comparison."}],"green_flags":[{"indicator":"Product meets both US AND EU safety standards","meaning":"Compliant with strictest global standards.","verification":"Look for dual US/EU compliance or EU-formulated versions."}],"what_to_ask":[{"question":"Does this product meet EU standards as well as US?","why_it_matters":"EU standards are stricter for many product categories.","good_answer":"Yes, formulated to meet both US and EU requirements.","bad_answer":"US-only compliance with no EU equivalence."}],"alternatives":[{"name":"Unbromated flour","notes":"King Arthur, Gold Medal, Bob's Red Mill"},{"name":"Organic flour","notes":"USDA organic standards prohibit potassium bromate"},{"name":"Ascorbic acid","notes":"vitamin C) as natural dough improver alternative"}]},"regulatory":{"applicable_regulations":[{"jurisdiction":"USA","regulation":"FDA 21 CFR 136.110 (Bread Standards)","citation":"21 CFR 136.110","requirements":"Potassium bromate permitted as optional ingredient in bread at ≤75 ppm in flour.","compliance_status":null,"effective_date":null,"enforcing_agency":"FDA","penalties":null,"source_ref":null},{"jurisdiction":"EU","regulation":"EU food additive ban","citation":null,"requirements":"Potassium bromate not authorized in EU since 1990.","compliance_status":null,"effective_date":"1990-01-01","enforcing_agency":"European Commission","penalties":null,"source_ref":null}],"certifications":[],"labeling":{"required_disclosures":[],"prop65_warning":{"required":null,"chemicals":[],"endpoint":null,"notes":null},"ghs_labeling":{"required":null,"signal_word":null,"pictograms":[],"hazard_statements":[],"notes":null},"hidden_ingredients":{"trade_secret_protected":null,"categories_hidden":[],"estimated_count":null,"known_concerns":null,"notes":null},"notes":null},"recalls":[],"regulatory_gap":null,"notes":null},"lifecycle":{"recyclable":true,"disposal_guidance":"Regular food waste.","hazardous_waste":false,"expected_lifespan":"months"},"formulation":{"form":"varies","key_ingredients":[{"hq_id":"hq-c-ino-000032","name":"Potassium bromate","role":"flour_improver","concentration_pct":"15-75 ppm in flour"}],"certifications":[]},"materials":{"common":[],"concerning":[],"preferred":[]},"compound_composition":[{"hq_id":"hq-c-ino-000032","compound_name":null,"role":"flour_improver","typical_concentration":"15-75 ppm in flour"}],"identifiers":{"common_names":["potassium bromate in bread flour"],"aliases":[],"manufacturer":null,"brands":[]},"brand_examples":[{"brand":"Rubbermaid","manufacturer":"Newell Brands","market_position":"mass_market","notable":"Food storage and kitchen brand"},{"brand":"Pyrex","manufacturer":"Corning","market_position":"mass_market","notable":"Glass food storage and bakeware"},{"brand":"OXO","manufacturer":"Helen of Troy","market_position":"premium","notable":"Kitchen tools and storage"}],"brand_examples_disclaimer":"Representative branded products of this category. Concerning ingredients listed in materials.concerning[] apply to the category, not necessarily to every named brand. Specific formulations vary by SKU and may have changed since this record was written; consult the brand's current ingredient label before drawing brand-level conclusions.","sources":[{"type":"expert_curation","name":"ALETHEIA Safety Database","date":"2026-03-25"},{"type":"regulation","title":"FDA 21 CFR 136.110 (Bread Standards)","jurisdiction":"USA","citation":"21 CFR 136.110","id":"src_a281fe86"},{"type":"regulation","title":"EU food additive ban","jurisdiction":"EU","year":1990,"id":"src_5bac938e"},{"id":"fda_potassium_bromate_bread","type":"regulatory","title":"US FDA: Potassium Bromate as Flour Improver — GRAS Status, Voluntary Withdrawal Policy, Residual Bromate in Finished Bread, and CSPI Petition History (2022)","year":2022,"inherited_from_compound":"hq-c-ino-000032"},{"id":"efsa_potassium_bromate","type":"regulatory","title":"EFSA: Potassium Bromate — EU Prohibition as Food Additive (1990), Residual Monitoring in Imported Bread Products, and IARC 2B Classification Review (2005)","year":2005,"inherited_from_compound":"hq-c-ino-000032"},{"type":"regulatory","title":"US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)","jurisdiction":"USA","id":"src_82d1cfcd","extraction":"description_reference"},{"type":"monograph","title":"International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)","jurisdiction":"International","id":"src_d9ebbaf2","extraction":"description_reference"}],"meta":{"schema_version":"4.0.0","last_updated":"2026-03-25","timestamp":"2026-05-13T22:25:37.374Z"}}