It should be noted however, that in 1992 the Joint FAO/
World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on
Food Additives considered the use of KB as flour improver
or flour treatment agent to be not acceptable (JECFA
Evaluation, 1995). This was due to its possible carcinogenic
effect on human health (International Agency for Research
on Cancer (IARC), 1986, 1999). Several states in the USA
and Canada as well as many countries in Europe followed
suit based on the WHO report. The United Kingdom had
earlier prohibited the use of KB with the release of ‘‘The
Potassium Bromate (Prohibition as a Flour Improver)
Regulations 1990’’. The US Food and Drug Administration,
however, believes that 50 ppm or less of KB as an
improver in white flour and 75 ppm or less in whole wheat
flour are safe (CFSAN, 2005).