Compliance of commercial bakeries to regulatory safety standards in the Ilorin metropolis

Abstract

Potassium bromate (KBrO₃) becomes important in bread as a flour-enhancing agent which gives fine and uniformly sized pores. However, it has been confirmed by the International Standard Organization that potassium bromate is carcinogenic, hence, its ban for bread production globally. This study was conducted to determine the level of compliance with the banon 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, periurban, 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 0.23mg/kg and 0.43 mg/kg in the rural area, 0.29 mg/kg and 0.43 mg/kg in the peri-urban area, and 0.24 - 0.52 mg/kg in the urban area. The potassium bromated 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 strict 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.