Food Additive Standard Revision Ministry of Health Studies Ban on Flour Bleaching Agent
On September 12, the "National Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Additives" ended its public comment period. As of the end of August, the secretariat had received about 100 public suggestions.
The public suggestions are mainly divided into three categories, including suggestions to modify certain food classification systems in the standard, to modify specific indicators for the scope and amount of use of certain additives, and to suggest changes to the names of food additives. A person in charge of the Ministry of Health stated that the collected opinions and suggestions will be categorized, and expert meetings will be organized to study each suggestion item by item.
In the "National Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Additives" (draft for public comment), benzoyl peroxide, commonly known as "flour bleaching agent," is still listed as a flour treatment agent, which has once again drawn industry attention and discussion. Previously, the grain department and many production enterprises had suggested banning the use of benzoyl peroxide in flour.
In response, a person in charge of the Ministry of Health told this newspaper that the ministry is coordinating with relevant departments to study the revocation of benzoyl peroxide as a flour treatment agent and its related supporting policies.
It is reported that according to the proposal from the State Administration of Grain and other departments to revoke benzoyl peroxide as a flour treatment agent, the Ministry of Health has organized the National Food Additive Standardization Technical Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "Standardization Committee") for multiple studies and to work on the supporting measures for the revocation.
The official stated that the revocation work has a wide scope. To minimize the impact on related industries and trade, it is necessary to properly decide on supporting policies such as the transition period for the revocation policy, the disposal of commercially available products, industrial impact, and import-export trade.
"The retention or removal of the 'flour bleaching agent' is controversial."
Benzoyl peroxide was introduced from abroad to China in the late 1980s and has been widely used in flour, commonly known as the "flour bleaching agent." Under the action of water and enzymes in flour, benzoyl peroxide reacts, releasing active oxygen to oxidize the small amount of colored substances in flour to achieve the purpose of whitening it. At the same time, the resulting benzoic acid can prevent mold and other effects on the flour.
In recent years, whether to continue allowing the use of "whitening agent" in flour has become an old issue of endless debate. The debate is mainly focused on two aspects: whether it poses a safety hazard to consumers, and whether the state has already banned it.
Those who advocate for a ban on benzoyl peroxide believe that it is only a flour bleaching agent and has no substantive improvement on flour quality, only a whitening effect. Some even believe that long-term consumption of benzoyl peroxide may cause chronic benzene poisoning.
"This is a complete misunderstanding." Chen Junshi, an expert in food safety and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said to reporters the day before yesterday: "If it is said that the use of benzoyl peroxide in flour will cause safety problems, data must be provided to prove it."
Chen Junshi has served as the Vice Director of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, and the Vice Chairman of the Chinese Society of Toxicology. He has clearly stated that he does not agree with banning benzoyl peroxide.
In the "National Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Additives" (draft for public comment) that just concluded its public comment period, benzoyl peroxide is positioned as a "treatment agent, bleaching agent" for flour, with a maximum usage of 0.06 grams per kilogram. Relevant experts stated that this usage amount has not changed compared to previous standards.
"Our country's standards for the limits of food additives are very cautious. Using it under this standard will not cause safety problems." Chen Junshi emphasized, "There is clear experimental data for this."
"Benzoyl peroxide is actually a flour treatment agent. For example, when baking bread, it can improve the baking effect." Chen Junshi believes that the public's equation of benzoyl peroxide with a 'whitening agent' is the biggest misunderstanding.
Regarding the statement that "some countries have banned benzoyl peroxide," Chen Junshi explained that this is also a misunderstanding. This is because no companies in those countries have applied to use it as an additive, not because benzoyl peroxide is 'toxic.' Many countries allow its use. Chen Junshi believes that benzoyl peroxide has already been included in the additive list. "To remove an additive, it must be due to a food safety issue."
Some experts revealed that there are other reasons why the grain department or grain enterprises advocate for the removal of benzoyl peroxide. In the process of using benzoyl peroxide, small enterprises often exceed the standard addition, which makes the flour look whiter. Some consumers mistakenly believe that the whiter the better, which creates pressure on the sales of large enterprises.
Abuse of Preservatives Also Poses Risks
China stipulates that several dozen preservatives can be used, including benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, calcium propionate, etc.
Widely used as a food preservative, it is naturally found in cranberries, prunes, cinnamon, and cloves. It is an aromatic acid and can also be added as a flavoring.
"Without preservatives, what would the world be like? You could only eat fresh food, it couldn't be transported long distances, which could lead to a problem of insufficient food for humans and also cause food prices to rise." He Jiguo, head of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at the College of Food Science, China Agricultural University, said without reservation: "Whether it is a chemical substance or not, as long as it is used within a proper range, it is safe."
In the food additive list, preservatives are defined as substances that prevent food from spoiling and extend its shelf life. A simple search in the draft for public comment reveals a long list of preservative names: benzoic acid and its sodium salts, sulfur, potassium sorbate, etc.
"Preservatives are beneficial for food preservation and continuous supply. For example, if a beverage spoils and produces natural toxins, the harm is greater. But the current main problem is the risk of using too much. So the main way is to manage the usage amount strictly." Huo Junsheng of the National Institute for Nutrition and Food Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, believes.
"Whether 'One Drop Fragrance' is considered an additive is not yet conclusive."
According to reports, the ingredients of "One Drop Fragrance" contain substances such as "enzyme-decomposed meat extract, hydrolyzed food protein, amino acids, etc."
Some restaurants use "One Drop Fragrance" as a seasoning to make foods like rice noodles, hot pot, and mala tang. The advertised "chicken soup" or "big bone soup" are actually made by mixing it.
Huo Junsheng said that based on current information, "One Drop Fragrance" is not entirely an additive, but more like a compound seasoning. Amino acids are additives, and enzyme-decomposed meat extract is also a hydrolyzed protein. However, the problem is that we currently do not know if there are other substances in "One Drop Fragrance."
Wang Xufeng, director of the Food Inspection major at Beijing First Advanced Technical School, also told this newspaper that "One Drop Fragrance" is more like a compound food additive, as if merchants, knowing the substance composition of a certain type of thick soup, use chemical methods and essences to synthesize it.
Regarding "One Drop Fragrance" produced by regular food additive manufacturers, Wang Xufeng believes that as long as it complies with national management regulations, it can play a role in flavoring during cooking. However, for "One Drop Fragrance" produced by small enterprises, Wang Xufeng warned consumers to be more cautious.
Although there have been no cases of harm from consuming "One Drop Fragrance" yet, Wang Xufeng believes this indicates that food additives have entered the catering industry from the food processing industry. Chefs have not undergone strict training, so they do not know how much dosage to use when using them. This presents new challenges in dosage supervision.
Regarding the supervision of compound additives, Huo Junsheng said that additives are sometimes used together in many types, which makes technical supervision difficult. For example, thickeners in milk, such as monoglycerides and CMC, are generally not used alone, as this would make the liquid milk appear thick and glossy. "The standard for compound additives is currently being formulated, and it is believed that the introduction of this standard will be beneficial to the quality management of related products."
Use of Nitrite Within Limits Will Not Cause Poisoning
Substances that can be included in the food additive list must undergo toxicity testing. However, among food additives, there is a toxic substance listed: nitrite.
Nitrite, commonly known as "nitrate salt," mainly refers to sodium nitrite and potassium nitrite. It is a white, opaque crystalline chemical product that looks very similar to table salt. It is also allowed to be used as a color developer in meat products in limited amounts, and the probability of food poisoning caused by nitrite is relatively high.
In the "National Food Safety Standard for the Use of Food Additives" (draft for public comment) that just concluded its public comment period, the reporter found the names "potassium nitrite, sodium nitrite."
"For such substances, the decision to use or not depends on the specific situation." He Jiguo said. The toxicity of nitrite is relatively high. "However, no country in the world bans the addition of nitrite in sausages." He Jiguo explained, "It can inhibit *Clostridium botulinum*, and the botulinum toxin produced by this bacterium is highly toxic, known to be the most toxic toxin. Pure 4 grams can poison 500,000 people."
Currently, cases of nitrite poisoning from consumption are all from accidental ingestion. In Beijing, there was a case where workers mistakenly ate nitrite from a construction site, thinking it was table salt, and were poisoned.
He Jiguo said that China has set two standards for nitrite in meat products: for Chinese-style meat products, it is no more than 30 milligrams per kilogram, and for Western-style, it is 70 milligrams per kilogram. "This can be understood. Chinese-style ham is often made after being cooked, while Western-style is often made from raw meat, so there are more bacteria. Otherwise, it would be impossible to control the growth of *Clostridium botulinum*." He emphasized that both of these standards are safe.
In pickled vegetables, nitrite residues are often present. Is this a health hazard? He Jiguo said that the nitrite in pickled vegetables mainly comes from the food itself—nitrogen fertilizers in fertilizers. "At the beginning of pickling, there is less nitrite, then it increases, and later it decreases again." He Jiguo reminded that pickled vegetables from large-scale production plants are usually sold to consumers after the nitrite content has decreased, so they are safe.