Potassium Bromate in U.S. Baked Goods: Cancer Concerns, Foreign Bans and State Action
By zoeysky // 2026-11-05
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Potassium bromate, a flour additive used in many packaged baked goods sold in the United States, remains legal in most of the country even as regulators in several foreign jurisdictions and a growing number of U.S. states move to restrict it. Several countries ban potassium bromate, including Brazil, Canada, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) [1].

Use in Baking and Industry Position

Potassium bromate functions as an oxidizing agent in bread and rolls, increasing volume and giving flour a uniform consistency [2]. The additive strengthens dough and allows it to rise higher, benefits that led many U.S. companies to adopt it [3]. The food industry has argued that baking fully converts potassium bromate into potassium bromide, which is not linked to cancer. A natural remedies reference states that most of what is added breaks down during cooking into bromide, which at present shows little to no health risk, though the remaining bromate is described as a known carcinogen [4]. Testing has not uniformly supported the claim of complete conversion. A U.K. study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture examined bread baked from white flour containing potassium bromate and measured the amounts of bromate and bromide that survived the baking process [5]. The findings indicated that the additive can remain detectable in finished bread under some production methods [5].

Health Assessments and International Bans

Animal studies have proved the additive to be highly carcinogenic and associated it with tumors in the kidney and thyroid gland [2]. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified potassium bromate as a Group B2 carcinogen in 1993, according to a food forensics text, which states that the agency concluded there was sufficient laboratory animal data to support the classification [6]. Brazil, Canada, the European Union, and the United Kingdom are among the jurisdictions that have banned potassium bromate because of these health concerns, according to regulatory notices [1]. A natural remedies reference notes that numerous petitions have been made to ban the ingredient and that many flour mills have voluntarily stopped adding it to their products [4]. The same reference states that the additive is banned in most countries except the United States and Japan [4].

Federal Regulatory Status

The FDA's oversight of food additives is weaker than its oversight of prescription drugs, and companies are not required to notify the agency of all determinations that ingredients are safe, according to a report by David Hilzenrath [7]. Under the 1958 Food Additives Amendment, any substance the food industry intentionally adds to its products is considered a food additive and is theoretically subject to premarket review and FDA approval, according to a food policy text [8]. Additives are exempted from that rule only if they are generally recognized as safe [8]. Potassium bromate has remained on the market in part because it was approved before later safety provisions took effect, according to a food forensics text, which states that the additive was approved by the FDA in 1958, before the Delaney Clause took hold [6]. The group noted that in November 2023, one month after California's law took effect, the agency proposed to revoke the authorization of brominated vegetable oil for use in food [1].

State and Local Actions

In Texas, a law signed in 2025 mandates warning labels on foods containing additives banned abroad, starting in 2027, according to a report on the measure [9]. In July 2026, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced an investigation into potassium bromate. The probe, announced on July 14, focuses on the additive's potential links to cancer and kidney problems, as indicated by laboratory tests on animals, according to a report on the announcement [10].

References

  1. This cancer-causing chemical may be lurking in your bread. https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2026/07/cancer-causing-chemical-may-be-lurking-your-bread
  2. 1 Pound a Day. by Roni DeLuz and James Hester Is This Cancer-Causing Chemical in Your Bread?. https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/cancer-chemical-bread/
  3. The Natural Remedies Encyclopedia, Seventh Edition. MD Vance H Ferrell and Harold M Cherne
  4. Survival of Bromate and Bromide in Bread Baked from White Flour Containing Potassium Bromate. Acrobat 5.0 Paper Capture Plug-in for Windows. J. Sci. Food Agric. Chemical Industry, 1988 Printed in Great Britain
  5. Food Forensics by Mike Adams
  6. FDA Lets Food Companies Decide if Their Ingredients and Additives Are Safe. https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/fda-food-companies-decide-ingredients-additives-safety-kff/
  7. Food Fix by Dr. Mark Hyman
  8. Texas mandates warning labels for foods with additives banned abroad - NaturalNews.com, June 26, 2025.
  9. Florida Launches Probe of Food Additive Potassium Bromate - NaturalNews.com, July 16, 2026.

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