Tag: Flour bleaching

To speed up the whitening process, manufacturers use chemicals in bleached flour. Freshly milled flour has a natural yellowish tint that fades over time. Chemical treatments are used to achieve this faster.

In many countries, freshly milled wheat flour has a pale yellow color due to carotenoid pigments, but a surprising fact is that benzoyl peroxide is often added during processing to oxidize these pigments and achieve a whiter appearance. This common food additive is used not for health benefits but for aesthetic appeal and is a practice with a long history in the food industry.

For over a century, benzoyl peroxide has been used as a bleaching agent in the food industry to whiten products and extend shelf life. The primary food ingredient containing benzoyl peroxide is refined wheat flour, but it has also been used in some dairy products.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO), the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has evaluated benzoyl peroxide and deemed it safe for use in flour under specific limits in many countries. This regulatory approval directly addresses the question, **is benzoyl peroxide in flour?**, clarifying its presence and purpose in commercially available products depending on geographical location.