Cancer-causing chemicals in bread: Govt set to ban pottassium bromate

May 24, 2016

New Delhi, May 24: The government is set to ban potassium bromate as food additive with Health Minister J P Nadda asserting that it will take appropriate action following a report which claimed presence of cancer-causing chemicals in bread samples of virtually all top brands.

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A Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) study had found nearly 84 per cent of 38 commonly available brands of pre-packaged breads including pav and buns, testing positive for potassium bromate and potassium iodate, banned in many countries as they are listed as "hazardous" for public health.

It claimed that while one of the chemicals is a category 2B carcinogen (possibly carcinogenic to humans), the other could trigger thyroid disorders but India has not banned their use.

Nadda said he has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to take the matter seriously and submit a report at the earliest. "I have told FSSAI to take the matter seriously and submit the report. They are coming out with a report. The Ministry will take appropriate action accordingly. We will take action as soon as the report comes," Nadda told reporters.

"Potassium bromate is one of 11,000 food additives that are allowed in food business. After careful consideration, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has decided to remove potassium bromate from the list of permissible additives," FSSAI CEO Pawan Kumar Agarwal said.

The regulator has recommended removal of potassium bromate from the list of permissible food additives to the Health Ministry. On the notification, Agarwal said, "As far as issue of notification is concerned the FSSAI has already sent the recommendation to Ministry of Health and it would be issued by the Ministry and there it may take a week or two."

After the removal of potassium bromate from the list its use as food additive would be banned, he said. On use of potassium iodate, FSSAI is examining the evidence and soon a decision will be taken over the same.

CSE also welcomed steps initated by the country's food regulator to ban potassium bromate used as a food additive and said public health must remain a "priority". According to CSE, potassium bromate typically increases dough strength, leads to higher rising and uniform finish to baked products, while potassium iodate is a flour treatment agent.

"We welcome the steps initiated by FSSAI to ban potassium bromate and evaluate the use of potassium iodate – we hope a ban on potassium iodate will follow.

"The Authority's quick response to what we found in our study reestablishes our stand that public health must remain a priority," said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general, CSE said.

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News Network
October 28,2024

Mangaluru: In a chilling incident that has raised suspicions of foul play, a 35-year-old man was discovered dead inside a train coach traveling from Bengaluru to Murudeshwar. 

The deceased, identified as Mouzzan from Kumbarpete, Doddaballapur, worked as a sales representative and was differently-abled. He boarded the train on October 24 from Yesvantpur and occupied the Divyang Coach.

The incident came to light on the morning of October 25 at Udupi, where a railway guard found Mouzzan unresponsive. The railway police immediately rushed him to the hospital, but doctors declared him dead. 

With no identification documents on him, the police utilized a label, “RS Tailor Chickpete,” found on his shirt collar to trace his family through WhatsApp, helping his relatives reach Mulki by Saturday.

Upon inspection, police noticed ligature marks around Mouzzan’s neck, hinting at possible foul play. His family reported that his bag and mobile phone were missing, raising further suspicion. 

The last known location of his phone was traced to Sakleshpur, suggesting he may have been targeted during the journey. Investigators suspect robbery as a motive and are now actively pursuing leads, with searches underway in Mysuru and Bengaluru.

A case has been filed at Mulki police station, and efforts to uncover the truth behind this tragic incident are intensifying as police work to piece together the circumstances that led to Mouzzan’s untimely death.

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News Network
October 22,2024

Bengaluru, Oct 22: Torrential rains wreaked havoc in Karnataka’s capital on Monday night, leading to significant flight disruptions at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). According to airport authorities, over 20 flights were delayed due to the downpour, as reported by ANI.

Among the diversions were an Air India flight from Delhi and three IndiGo flights from Delhi, Hyderabad, and Chandigarh, all rerouted to Chennai. A Thai Lion Air flight from Thailand also had to be diverted to Chennai amid the heavy rainfall.

After western Bengaluru bore the brunt of Sunday’s rains, it was the northern, southeastern, and eastern parts of the city that were pounded by intense thundershowers on Monday. Rainfall across the city varied from light to very heavy, leaving many areas waterlogged.

By 11 PM, Sahakaranagar and Yelahanka in northern Bengaluru had received 154.4 mm and 110 mm of rainfall, respectively, according to data from Weather Union, a platform for crowd-sourced weather information. Other areas that saw heavy downpours included Devanahalli and Koramangala (88.2 mm each), HSR Layout (81.6 mm), and BEL Road (70.4 mm).

While RR Nagar, the most affected neighborhood on Sunday, saw a significant drop with only 19.4 mm of rainfall on Monday evening, other areas faced relentless showers. HAL airport recorded 42.3 mm of rain until 8:30 PM, with a monthly total of 228.5 mm, far exceeding the normal average of 177.3 mm.

Kempegowda International Airport recorded 105 mm of rainfall, while GKVK saw 21.2 mm as rains intensified late into the night, leaving northern and eastern Bengaluru grappling with the aftermath.

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News Network
October 17,2024

Bengaluru, Oct 17: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced that all government residential schools in the state will be renamed as Maharishi Valmiki Residential Schools.

He further said that the Raichur University will be renamed as Maharishi Valmiki University, news agency ANI reported.

He made the announcement on the occasion of Valmiki Jayanti, which is celebrated to honor Maharishi Valmiki, the revered author of the Ramayana.

Earlier today, the Karnataka CM paid rich tributes to Valmiki in a series of posts on X.

"Let the life and achievements of Dalit genius, Adi Kavi Valmiki, who wrote the epic Ramayana and showed that talent is not a gift of birth, but an achievement, be an inspiration to all of us," he said.

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