Food additive databaseCreates texture and shapeChecked 2026-09-27
Potassium bromate 臭素酸カリウム
Food additiveNot permitted in the EUIARC 2B
- Purpose
- improves the rise of bread dough
- On the label
- “臭素酸カリウム” (potassium bromate)
Flagged additives are marked when you use the Ingredient Checker (choose others).
In Japan
- In Japan it is permitted only in bread making, on the condition that it does not remain in the baked bread.
- It is used on the assumption that it breaks down during production, so it may not be listed in the ingredient list.
Under stricter rules abroad
Category: Not permitted in the EU
- It cannot be used in food in the EU, the UK (1990), Canada (1994), or China (2005).
- IARC classifies it as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (2B).
- The US state of California bans it from 2027 (AB 418).
Sources
- Food Labeling Standards (Cabinet Office Ordinance No. 10 of 2015) (Japanese)
- IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer): agents classified
Last checked 2026-09-27. Rules change over time. This page is a translation of our Japanese page; if they differ, the Japanese page is the reference.
The categories are not a safety verdict. Additives used in Japan are approved by the government, which sets the foods and amounts they can be used in. This page lists facts stated in laws and in evaluations by public bodies.