A Comprehensive Analysis of Potassium Bromate, a Possible Carcinogen, in Popular Baked Foodstuffs of Bangladesh

Abstract

Potassium bromate (KBrO₃), employed ubiquitously as an oxidizing agent in commonly consumed baked foods and as a flour improver to enhance dough quality, has been recognized as a possible human carcinogen. Despite stringent prohibitions in numerous nations eliciting substantial apprehension worldwide, notably in Bangladesh, the pervasive occurrence of KBrO₃ in baked foods persists as a formidable public health quandary. This study aimed to investigate the presence of KBrO₃ in five different popular baked foods comprising a total of 104 samples, such as bread (n = 39), cake (n = 33), burger buns (n = 13), pizza (n = 10), and naan (n = 9), collected from different districts across Bangladesh. The amounts of KBrO₃ were quantified using UV–visible spectrophotometric method. A calibration curve was obtained with a satisfactory linearity and a correlation coefficient (R²) 0.998. The sensitivity was confirmed by limits of detection (LOD = 0.0180 mg L⁻¹) and quantification (LOQ = 0.0548 mg L⁻¹). The recovery rates for spiked samples were 87%–103%, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the measurements. KBrO₃ concentrations varied significantly across the samples: BDL to 5.53 ± 0.24 mg kg⁻¹ in breads, BDL to 6.18 ± 0.01 mg kg⁻¹ in cakes, 0.86 ± 0.01 to 1.69 ± 0.01 mg kg⁻¹ in burger buns, 0.92 ± 0.01 to 4.35 ± 0.01 mg kg⁻¹ in pizzas, and BDL to 5.37 ± 0.02 mg kg⁻¹ in naans. The concentrations of KBrO₃ in bread, cake, burger buns, pizza, and naans surpass the recommended threshold established by the FDA factors of 276.5, 309.0, 84.5, 217.5, and 268.5, respectively. The study revealed particularly high levels of KBrO₃ presence in the targeted baked foods in all of the sampling districts, highlighting a serious food safety concern in Bangladesh.