Myth: The flour is empty of nutrition after the bleaching process
Fact: Flour manufacturing process does diminish essential nutrients of flour such as Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin and Folic Acid (Vitamin B)
Reality: The diminishing of Vitamin B is due to the process itself and not due to the bleaching.
Myth: Vitamin B are synthesized from pork
Frankly I have little trouble to find any facts to suggest vitamin B are synthesized from pork. It is undeniable pork contain high amounts of Thiamine, but that is it, other nutrition such as Riboflavin, Niacin and Folic Acid can be found in other poultry or plants at much higher levels. The idea of using poultry to extract the vitamin though sounds a bit futile. Pork, for instance, has around 1.1 mg per 100g of B1. Processing the meat will lose the vitamin similar to wheat flour manufacturing. Vitamins are manufactured either chemically or fermentation. For instance Riboflavin is manufactured to industrial scale using microorganism such as Candida famata and Candida Flaveri. As such the idea of using pork to produce Vitamin B does not make sense.
Myth: Bleached wheat flour may induced diabetes chemically
Similar with myth above, I find myself to be constrained and unable to explain this particular issue with much clarity. Let’s just discuss this issue one at time. The aforementioned chemicals that can induce diabetes, which may be found in wheat flour, are alloxan. Alloxan is oxidized product of uric acid. Uric acid oxidization results in formation of Allantoin or Alloxan, depending on the pH. Generally, uric acid oxidation with Nitric Acid, Chlorine or Iodine produces Alloxan. The point I am trying to make here is not to argue that there is no Alloxan in wheat flour, what I am seeing is that Benzoyl Peroxide has been carrying the blame when in fact it was the use of chlorine oxide as maturing/bleaching that oxidizes uric acid into alloxan. Not that I am insinuating there is a highly dangerous level of Alloxan in flour.
Alloxan is chemical used to induce diabetes in lab rats. The protocol for using alloxan to chemically induced diabetes are roughly as follows; Alloxan (70-90mg/kg) with Streptozotocin (200-400mg/kg) through injection (Either i.v or i.p). Obviously the amounts used are relatively higher than that would be found in bread. I do realize that there might be room for argument on the accumulative effect of Alloxan, frankly I am not proficient in reading material that are too technical. I am inclined to believe; from my understanding, there is evidence that suggest alloxan induced diabetes wills in turn causes formation of Reactive Oxygenated Species (ROS), and this does accumulates in human body. However, the very fact I could not grasp the idea in its entirety does bug me. If there are readers out there that do read this note in entirety and willing to enlighten me on this matter, please do.
Nevertheless, I stand by on my findings that Benzoyl Peroxide does not directly responsible for any ruckus that has been going on. There are other chemical used in manufacturing plant for various items for years even decade goes unnoticed, but that does not mean every chemical used in manufacturing process is harmful. Apart from that, there might be some merit on matter pertaining to diabetes induction; however, I could not be entirely sure on that matter. Lastly, there is no pork or ham produced parts involved in manufacturing of flour.
Reference
1) http://www.saw-leipzig.de/forschung/projekte/zeitstrukturen-endokriner-systeme/endokrinologieiii/endo_07-lenzen.pdf
2) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jctb.280530402/abstract
3) http://lamilanaise.com/nos-produits/farine-blanche-tout-usage-non-blanchie/
4) http://www.ijrpbsonline.com/files/59-3290.pdf
5) http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/agns/pdf/jecfa/cta/63/Benzoylperoxide.pdf
6) http://www.eatingrealfood.com/articles/how-and-why-is-flour-bleached/
7) https://dcc2.bumc.bu.edu/goutstudy/PurineContent.aspx
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Poisonuos flour – Myth Vs Fact Part 1
In this notes I will try my best to ascertain whether or not the claim made by certain quarters on issues pertains to the toxicity of flour is a real issues or merely a nicely dressed hoax.
For those who are unsure on the reasons for this discussion, the following links will lead you to the issues that has been haunting social media for the past couples of week.
http://xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.blogspot.com/2013/09/tepung-beracun-dan-mengandungi-babi.html
First of all, flour or bleached flour is not the staple food for Asian or Malaysian specifically. In there, should lay a shred of comfort that we could cling onto. Nevertheless why cling on probabilities when we can actually verify from the web for factual data. In our endeavor to reveal the truth behind the story, perhaps it is wise for us to learn a little bit about flour production.
Wheat flour is made from wheat grain. Wheat kernel is composed of three sections, namely; bran, germ and endosperm.
The term whole wheat flour that we often heard refers to the use of all three sections of the kernel. Meanwhile white or refined flour only uses endosperm which is the largest part of the kernel, comprises of 83% of the kernel.
White flour which is treated with bleaching agent is known as bleached flour. Untreated white flour has yellowish properties given by Carotenoid Xanthophylls’ content in the flour. In typical kernel, 90% of the total Xanthophylls content is found in the endosperm. Carotenoids are prone to oxidation in exposure to atmosphere. Nevertheless, traditional method of bleaching is time consuming. As such, chemicals have been used to accelerate the bleaching process and ensuring it is of uniform color.
According to NIIR (a consultancy company based in India) flour bleaching processes use a combination of chemicals. Bleaching chemical used comprises of Benzoyl Peroxide and oxides of Nitrogen. Other types of chemical used for bleaching also include Nitrosyl Chloride which used in admixture with Chlorine.
Naturally the use of wide range of chemicals for a single process is a cause of concern. From this section onwards I will discuss issues as raised by the video link from youtube at the top part of this notes.
Myth: Toxicity of Benzoyl Peroxide
Fact: China and European Union did ban the use of Benzoyl Peroxide from being used as bleaching agent
Reality: The ban though, may raise concern, over its apparent toxicity of the said chemical, it is important to note that there are other chemical continued to be used in the bleaching process. Those chemical are such as Nitrosyl Chloride, Chlorine Dioxide and Acetone Peroxide. This list does not include chemical used for maturing process such as Azodicarbonamide or even chemical used for Bromation of flour. That being said Benzoyl Peroxide has been continuously used in USA, Canada and other countries. The reason for ban of Benzoyl Peroxide in China however is more than just the concern over its toxicity. The ban in China primarily is due to, first, the use of over the limit set (60mg/kg) by flour manufacturer in China (which is lower than international standard of around 100 mg/kg) and secondly, public opinion in China. As one last piece of trivia, Benzoyl Peroxide is also used in the production of Cheddar, Parmesan, Provolone, Romano, Swiss and many other types of chesses.
Royal Society of Chemist
For those who are unsure on the reasons for this discussion, the following links will lead you to the issues that has been haunting social media for the past couples of week.
http://xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.blogspot.com/2013/09/tepung-beracun-dan-mengandungi-babi.html
First of all, flour or bleached flour is not the staple food for Asian or Malaysian specifically. In there, should lay a shred of comfort that we could cling onto. Nevertheless why cling on probabilities when we can actually verify from the web for factual data. In our endeavor to reveal the truth behind the story, perhaps it is wise for us to learn a little bit about flour production.
Wheat flour is made from wheat grain. Wheat kernel is composed of three sections, namely; bran, germ and endosperm.
The term whole wheat flour that we often heard refers to the use of all three sections of the kernel. Meanwhile white or refined flour only uses endosperm which is the largest part of the kernel, comprises of 83% of the kernel.
White flour which is treated with bleaching agent is known as bleached flour. Untreated white flour has yellowish properties given by Carotenoid Xanthophylls’ content in the flour. In typical kernel, 90% of the total Xanthophylls content is found in the endosperm. Carotenoids are prone to oxidation in exposure to atmosphere. Nevertheless, traditional method of bleaching is time consuming. As such, chemicals have been used to accelerate the bleaching process and ensuring it is of uniform color.
According to NIIR (a consultancy company based in India) flour bleaching processes use a combination of chemicals. Bleaching chemical used comprises of Benzoyl Peroxide and oxides of Nitrogen. Other types of chemical used for bleaching also include Nitrosyl Chloride which used in admixture with Chlorine.
Naturally the use of wide range of chemicals for a single process is a cause of concern. From this section onwards I will discuss issues as raised by the video link from youtube at the top part of this notes.
Myth: Toxicity of Benzoyl Peroxide
Fact: China and European Union did ban the use of Benzoyl Peroxide from being used as bleaching agent
Reality: The ban though, may raise concern, over its apparent toxicity of the said chemical, it is important to note that there are other chemical continued to be used in the bleaching process. Those chemical are such as Nitrosyl Chloride, Chlorine Dioxide and Acetone Peroxide. This list does not include chemical used for maturing process such as Azodicarbonamide or even chemical used for Bromation of flour. That being said Benzoyl Peroxide has been continuously used in USA, Canada and other countries. The reason for ban of Benzoyl Peroxide in China however is more than just the concern over its toxicity. The ban in China primarily is due to, first, the use of over the limit set (60mg/kg) by flour manufacturer in China (which is lower than international standard of around 100 mg/kg) and secondly, public opinion in China. As one last piece of trivia, Benzoyl Peroxide is also used in the production of Cheddar, Parmesan, Provolone, Romano, Swiss and many other types of chesses.
Royal Society of Chemist
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