“It is time that India banned the use of potassium bromate to safeguard public health, ensured necessary labelling norms and removed this chemical from food supply. ‘Bread and bakery products are an essential part of our daily diets today. Children are consuming them more than ever before. We need to prevent near-routine exposure of this possible cancer-causing chemical. There are safer alternatives present and cost of adopting those is insignificant. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) should ban the use of these chemicals with immediate effect,’ says [Chandra] Bhushan [deputy director, CSE, and head of the CSE lab].

“CSE researchers say that the FSSAI should also prohibit the use of potassium iodate as a flour treatment agent. The JECFA recommended not using it as a flour treatment agent as its use in a staple like bread can possibly lead to higher intake of iodine. It is not an approved additive in the EU and countries such as the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The European Food Safety Agency, in its scientific opinion of 2014, mentions that chronic excessive iodine intake may accelerate the development of sub-clinical thyroid disorders to overt hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, increase the incidence of autoimmune thyroiditis and increase the risk of thyroid cancer.

“‘Iodine supplementation through salt has been adequate for Indians. Therefore, the use of potassium iodate in bread could lead to higher iodine intake in people who consume large quantities of bread,’ says Bhushan.”