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Bromated Flour

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Trix

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Sep 24, 2008, 11:49:59 AM9/24/08
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Bromated flour has been banned in much of the world, but remains
available in the United States.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flour
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_bromate
---------------

Potassium bromate is an additive used to strengthen bread dough. But
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has known since 1982 that it
can cause tumors of the kidney, thyroid, and other organs in animals.
In July, CSPI petitioned the FDA to ban bromate.

“In 1992 and again in 1998, the FDA found baked goods that had
bromate at levels the agency considers unsafe,” said CSPI attorney
Darren Mitchell. “But instead of banning the additive, as the United
Kingdom and Canada have done, the FDA has tried—with only partial
success—to get bakers to voluntarily stop using it.”

To avoid packaged foods that contain bromate, look for “potassium
bromate” or “bromated flour” in the ingredient list. Some brands that
still use it: Home Pride, Martin’s, Schmidt, Sunbeam, TastyKake,
Wonder, and Boston Market (in its French sandwich bread).
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/10_99/cspinews.html
------------------

Many bakers, including Best Foods, Inc. (maker of Arnold,
Entenmann’s, and Orowheat brand breads and rolls), Pepperidge Farm,
and Pillsbury, have switched to bromate-free processes. Also, some
supermarket chains, including Giant, Jewel, Ralph’s, and Von’s, do not
use bromate.

In contrast, Interstate Brands Corp. (Wonder, Home Pride),
Schmidt Baking Co. (Schmidt, Sunbeam), Tasty Baking Co. (TastyKake),
and Martin’s still use potassium bromate in some of their products.
Among fast-food chains, Burger King, Arby’s, and Wendy’s use bromate
in buns, and Boston Market uses it in its french sandwich bread.

CSPI advises consumers to avoid bread, rolls, doughnuts, and
cakes that list “potassium bromate” or “bromated flour” among their
ingredients. FDA’s limited surveys found that rolls and buns are
especially likely to contain high levels of bromate.
http://www.commondreams.org/pressreleases/july99/071999b.htm

Dick Adams

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Sep 24, 2008, 3:35:50 PM9/24/08
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"Trix" <tri...@gmail.com> wrote in message news:c3de3648-dd47-4fd0...@b1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...

Bromated flour has been banned in much of the world, but remains
available in the United States.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flour
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_bromate

Trixy's point is well taken. It is absolutely true that potassium bromate
is known to be a chemical. Fear of chemicals is well founded, because
most people do not have any idea what they are. Consider, for instance,
the chemicals used make bleached white flour:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flour_bleaching_agents

Mary Fisher

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Sep 24, 2008, 3:41:14 PM9/24/08
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"Dick Adams" <bad...@nonexist.net> wrote in message
news:qEwCk.237379$102.1...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

But bromates are listed as ingredients, are bleaching agents?

Mary


Dick Adams

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Sep 24, 2008, 4:04:48 PM9/24/08
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"Mary Fisher" <mary....@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message news:48da9894$0$765$4c56...@master.news.zetnet.net...

>
> But bromates are listed as ingredients, are bleaching agents?

It is supposed that no residues of bleaching agents exist in the
flour one buys.

I gamble that no residues of bromate exist in my bread when
it comes time to eat it. There is published evidence that bromate
does not survive baking, but who can you actually believe?

For that risk, I get superior loaves.

--
Dicky

Trix

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Sep 24, 2008, 6:19:45 PM9/24/08
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Dicky said,

>" For that risk, I get superior loaves."

I was just trying to look out for you, Dicky, knowing you make a habit
of using bromated flour.

I don't buy bleached or bromated flour.

Your loaves do get more billowy than mine and a bit more nicely
browned....but that is ok. My sourdough bread baking skills keep
improving, not in a small part from this newsgroup, even though I do
have some off days.

I have been enjoying the use of my Carl's starter: it is a good one.
I still use my homemade rye starter too.
They are quite different from each other.


Trix

Trix

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Nov 6, 2008, 2:55:48 PM11/6/08
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> Dicky said,
>
> >" For that risk, I get superior loaves."

Dicky....a question:

Do you use bromated flour in the Carl's starter you send out?

Lucy

Sam

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Nov 6, 2008, 5:06:19 PM11/6/08
to Rec.food....@mountainbitwarrior.com
Curious - is that an issue or just curiosity?

Sam

Message has been deleted

Dick Adams

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Nov 7, 2008, 12:27:50 PM11/7/08
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"Trix" <tri...@gmail.com> wrote in message news:ca9e2c50-f79d-43f1...@c36g2000prc.googlegroups.com...

> Dicky....a question:
>
> Do you use bromated flour in the Carl's starter you send out?

Well, for one thing, I very seldom send any out, because somebody
else does that. And, anyway, I would not use bread flour for dried
starter, I would use storebrand bleached white.

I would only put the bromated flour in starts to people I hate. But
you knew, didn't you?

Seriously, I am enough spooked about bromated flour not to use it
to thicken gravies, etc. But the fact is that, unless you eat your dough
raw, there's nought to be concerned about, since the bromate does
not survive baking.

People who worry about small amounts of chemical substances in food
have a great deal to worry about. Take hot dogs, for instance: those
are loaded with nitrates/nitrites. Almost all prepared foods are loaded
with sodium choride, which is well known to be detrimental to health.
Stuff obtain/stored in plastic bottles can leach deadly chemicals from
the plastic materials. The list never ends.

--
Dicky

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