Compliance of commercial bread to safety standards in the Ilorin metropolis
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Date
2023-06-01
Journal Title
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Publisher
Kwara State University
Abstract
Potassium bromate (KBrO3) becomes important in bread as a flour-enhancing agent as it gives fine and uniformly sized pores, but has been confirmed by the International Standard Organization to be carcinogenic, hence, its ban for bread production globally. This study was conducted to determine the level of compliance with the ban on KBrO3 and the possible heavy metal contamination in bread within the Ilorin metropolis. Thirty (30) different brands of bread were purchased randomly in the rural, peri-urban, and urban areas within the Ilorin metropolis and evaluated for KBrO3 and heavy metals [copper (Cu) and lead (Pb)] contents using standard methods. The results revealed that the KBrO3 content ranged from 1.09 - 3.25 mg/kg in rural areas, 1.43 - 3.11 mg/kg in peri-urban areas, and 1.67 - 3.04 mg/kg in urban areas. The copper content is 0.13 - 0.85 mg/kg in the rural area, 0.25 - 0.75 mg/kg in the peri-urban area, and 0.03 - 0.79 mg/kg in the urban area. The lead content of the bread samples ranged between 0.23 mg/kg and 0.43 mg/kg for the rural area, 0.29 mg/kg and 0.43 mg/kg for the peri-urban area, and 0.24 - 0.52 mg/kg in the urban area. The potassium bromate content of the bread samples was higher than the United States Food and Drug Agency (UN FDA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) regulatory standard of 0.02 mg/kg, while that of the copper and lead were below the NAFDAC regulatory standard of 1 mg/kg and 1.5 mg/kg respectively. Therefore, the relevant regulatory agencies in Nigeria must establish stricter standards for the manufacturing of bread and carry out routine inspections of bakeries to ensure that bakers are not violating the law and that the environment and even the materials they use are free of any contamination for the safety of the consumers.