Abstract

Potassium bromate is an additive widely employed by bread makers to improve bread quality. On account of its deleterious effect and carcinogenicity in humans, certain levels of potassium bromate are not allowed in bread. Use of potassium bromate in bread has been banned in many countries Nigeria inclusive. In this study the concentration of potassium bromate was determined in nine ‘quality’ bread samples baked in Jos Metropolis. Quality assessment revealed that, all the brands contained potassium bromate in a quantity that exceeded the minimum allowed by the FDA (0.020 ppm) and WHO (0.025 ppm) by several hundred folds except one sample (code I). In view of these findings, bread makers should be discouraged from using potassium bromate as bread improver. Also regulatory authorities should step up their monitoring activities in order to safe guard the health of the populace.