Tests show no harmful chemicals in bread: Bengal bakeries

Kolkata: Bakery associations in West Bengal on Tuesday claimed tests conducted on bread samples produced by around 4,000 establishments in the state have revealed their products are "safe" for consumption.

The West Bengal Bakery Co-ordinators Committee and West Bengal Baker's Association said tests showed the absence of certain harmful chemicals which were reported in bread samples by a recent Centre For Science and Environment (CSE) study.

"We had earlier said our bakeries do not use harmful chemicals. Tests have proved that. Even the test ordered by Kolkata Municipal Corporation has shown the same," Sheikh Ismail Hossain, secretary of the committee, told the media here.

The CSE analysis focussed on two chemicals - potassium bromate and potassium iodate - which are banned in many countries but are widely used by Indian bread manufacturing companies to make bread soft and fluffy.

The committee said it has approached the Central Food Laboratory here to conduct analysis from bread samples.

"These chemicals are not used at all. Two slices of bread are equivalent to one plate of rice. Bread is not bad for health," said Hossain.

Production of bread in over 4,000 bakeries of Bengal was hit by 30 percent in wake of the report.

"Now since the tests are done, we hope the production picks up," Hossain added.