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“It is possible not to use chemicals in bread”
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Monday, 13 June, 2016, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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fiogf49gjkf0d  Bakeries in India can avoid using potassium bromate and potassium iodate. Instead healthy alternatives like ascorbic acid or vitamin C, glucose oxidase, ammonium per sulphate, ammonium chloride and amylases which are treated as natural substitutes can be used. Dr S V Suresha, coordinator, The Bakery Training Unit, Hebbal, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, in an email interaction with Nandita Vijay delves deeper into the subject. Excerpts:
What is your view on the potassium bromate and potassium iodate issue which has rocked the country?
Potassium bromate of potassium is in the form of white crystals or powder whereas potassium iodate is an oxidising agent. These two are banned for use in foods by many countries, however, in USA, potassium bromate is used as flour improver. In India, potassium bromate is recently banned and potassium iodate is under examination for its effect in bread making process. Before banning of potassium bromate, it was opined that using of permissible quantity and baking at high temperature with a sufficient time, the residual effect may not be there. But now by banning this, the earlier thinking will not hold good. With the use of quality raw material, absolutely there is no need to use bread improvers.
How safe is bread, which is basic item of consumption in all homes after this issue?
When potassium bromate is banned in the country, there is no question of how safe or unsafe the improver is. Hence, the industry needs to look for alternatives to these chemicals and proper method of bread making in the production units. Hence, it is advisable to take out these improvers from the bread making process.
Further, media and press have created lot of awareness among general public about the hazardous effect of these two additives in bread industry. The processers and bakers need to assure that they are not using these chemicals, then the consumption will be much safer among the public as it provides required carbohydrate, vitamins and other minerals at affordable price.
There are statements indicating that bakery bread does not contain potassium bromate and potassium iodate as it has a shorter shelf life? Comment.
There are reviews available that the use of permissible doses of potassium bromate and potassium iodate along with baking at high temperature with sufficient time the residual effect of these chemicals will not be there in the bread. Further, if approved quality ingredients are used, then these chemicals can be avoided. Few bakers are not using these flour improvers at bakeries and few use in low quantity which is less than 20 ppm. Hence, scientifically the products are baked properly, the residues are not formed.
How much have these impacted sales of breads at your unit and what kind of queries came to you about this?
In fact, our bakery training unit doesn’t use any chemicals for the production of bread. However, the flour obtained by the mills may have small quantities of these ingredients which evaporate during the baking at higher temperature. What I feel is no addition of these ingredients during production will definitely help the consumers. Our customers are well aware of these factors, and hence, the breads of bakery training unit are safe for consumption.
What, according to you, is the stance that bakeries and bread makers need to take to come out of this issue?
It has to be looked at two levels. One is at the flour manufacturing unit, where they use these chemicals during bleaching as flour improvers. This can be avoided by making use of alternatives like ascorbic acid or vitamin C, glucose oxidase, ammonium per sulphate, ammonium chloride and amylases which are treated as natural healthy alternatives.
While in production units of bread these chemicals are again used to get good volume. However, it is not required to use compulsorily. The optimum proofing period has to be worked out during the procedures to get the good volume instead of using these chemicals.
What is the future of the bread industry in the wake of this issue?
Bread is common man’s food because of its low price, volume and convenience. However, the awareness on use of chemicals may increase among the general public but the bread industry may not get affected because of this factor alone. However, it is possible not to use chemicals in production units for preparation of bread. In flour manufacturing units the usage may be replaced by using alternatives for these chemicals. It is also possible to go for natural bleaching of flour by proper methods of storage and with sufficient time period.
Has UAS submitted any report to the government or FSSAI on the safety of breads?
Already there are specified well established clear guidelines on the usage of chemicals during flour production. Hence, submitting a separate report to the government does not arise at all by us.
Bread is the fastest moving item in a bakery, now with this ban on ingredients, what is the next step?
Already there is a ban on usage of ingredients in many countries, however, in the US, these ingredients are used in flour production for improving flour quality. Though in many countries it is banned still the breads available in those countries without these ingredients are very popular and it needs only a small adjustment on the part of the consumers regarding the texture and volume of the bread. It is a matter of time for the consumers to get adjusted with it and I don’t think it harms the bread industry since it is integral part of daily diet of the common man.
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