What's the Potassium Bromate ?

What's the Potassium Bromate ?

Potassium bromate (KBrO3), is a bromate of potassium and takes the form of white crystals or powder.

CAS#：7758-01-2       HS NO.：28299000       M.W.: 167.01         MF:KBrO3           EINECS No.:231-829-8

Preparation:

Potassium bromate is produced by passing bromine into a solution of potassium hydroxide. An industrial electrolytic process is used for large scale production.

Alternatively, it can be created as a by-product of potassium bromide production by absorption of bromine from ocean water into potassium carbonate.

potassium(k) a metallic element of S-block is prepared a solution of potassium hydroxide and bromine a non-metallic element of P-block is passed through the solution to form potassium bromate.

 potassium bromate Chemical Formula

Uses in baking:

Although banned for use in foods by many countries, in the USA Potassium bromate is typically used as a flour improver (E number E924). It acts to strengthen the dough and to allow higher rising. It is an oxidizing agent, and under the right conditions, will be completely used up in the baking bread. However, if too much is added, or if the bread is not baked long enough or not at a high enough temperature, then a residual amount will remain, which may be harmful if consumed. Potassium bromate might also be used in the production of malt barley where the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has prescribed certain conditions where it may be used safely, which includes labeling standards for the finished malt barley product. It is a very powerful oxidizer (E° = 1.5 volts comparable to potassium permanganate).

Regulation:

Potassium bromate is classified as a category 2B carcinogen (possibly carcinogenic to humans) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

Potassium bromate has been banned from use in food products in the European Union, Argentina, Brazil,Canada, Nigeria, South Korea, Peru and some other countries. It was banned in Sri Lanka in 2001, China in 2005, and India on 20 June 2016.

In the United States of America, it has not been banned. The FDA sanctioned the use of bromate before the Delaney clause of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act—which bans potentially carcinogenic substances— went into effect in 1958. But since 1991 the FDA has urged bakers to voluntarily stop using it. In California a warning label is required when bromated flour is used.

Japanese baked goods manufacturers stopped using potassium bromate voluntarily in 1980; however, Yamazaki Baking resumed its use in 2005, claiming they had new production methods to reduce the amount of the chemical which remained in the final product.