The bad B words: Bleach and Bromate

Did you know that the only reason flour is bleached is because it's faster than waiting for it to age and whiten on its own? And there's another evil "b" word - bromate. Most people don't know why bromate is added to flour or to even look for unbromated flour.

Here are some facts:

• Flour will whiten as it ages, but companies don't want to spend the time waiting. That's why bleaching flour began.
• Bleaching removes the nutrients from flour, so they are added back in after the bleaching process. In other words, you may as well take a vitamin if you want the nutrition from bleached flour.
• Potassium bromate is added to flour to reduce the mixing time, strengthen the dough, and allow for higher rising. It allows dough to stand up to commerical bread hooks and other commerical baking tools, however...
• Bromates are potential carcinogens (cause cancer). In theory, the bromate should be baked out of the bread as it cooks, but if it's not baked long enough or at a high enough temperature, some bromate will remain.
• Cake flour is always bleached, but if you use unbleached all-purpose flour, sift it once or twice, and remove 1 tablespoon per cup, you will end up with amazing cakes. No bleach necessary!

My conclusion: avoid both the B words. And it's not hard to do! I researched online and found on Amazon (of course) unbleached unbromated flour for only $0.66/lb. Not much more than my brother-in-law, a bread baker, can get from a commercial supplier.

I love Bob's Red Mill products, and here's another one. You have to buy four 5-lb packs of flour, but for someone who bakes regularly, that'll be gone before you know it!

If you just happened to buy a giant bag of bleached flour, don't fret. Just try this kind the next time you buy it. Happy baking!