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Food, which was once a survival need, now transformed into a material of lavishness and comfort. Both the food &
food industry underwent drastic changes in the past few decades and the ecological, social, psychological,
economical and biological impact it brought about is devastating. All this started when humans got struck in a luxury
trap; a trap which is called Wheat in its changed appearance which is widely consumed in the form of refined flour
(otherwise called Maida). Maida a waste introduced in the diet of human beings only a few centuries ago managed to
evolve into a billion dollar industry and made a permanent mark in the lifestyle of human beings. But the
physiological, psychological and ecological impacts caused by this waste already have an adverse effect on the
current generations and will definitely take a toll on the generations to come. Despite knowing the damage caused
by this waste, no strong action was taken for it, till date. Maida has become a perfect example of self destructing and
invasive product to human beings. Still the Homo sapiens have a chance to save themselves from this disaster by
changing their existing pattern of life/food habits. The present paper thus discusses the physiological, psychological
and ecological impacts of this anthropogenic unhealthy food habits.
Keywords: Maida, refined white flour, gluten factor
“In order to change the existing imagined order,we must first
believe in an alternative imagined order”
― Yuval Noah Harari
The present human civilization is said to have originated from the
grasslands of East Africa approximately 200,000 years from now.
Humans addressing themselves as Homo sapiens was able to survive
even after facing a lot of disputes for over a million years (Harari,
2014). A species which occupied only a tiny proportion of land on
planet Earth now evolved into the most dominant and intelligent race
with destructive and invasive nature.
Ever since their origin, the need of humans for their survival kept
on changing and developed into a more complicated process. The Need
theory states that human beings have 5 basic needs and these are the
physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, self-esteem and self-
actualization.The most basic need for human beings is the physiological
needs which includes food, water, shelter, etc. (McLeod, 2018).
Food
Food was merely a survival need for human beings, but now it has
lost its sole purpose and has become a material of lavishness and
comfort. Over the years both food and food industry underwent
drastic changes and food has evolved into a commodity with high
monetary gains. It made an adverse impact on the lifestyle of human
beings and on the environment. The ecological, social, psychological,
economical and biological impact it brought about is devastating.
How come a survival need changed into a luxury need? All this
started 10,000 years ago when humans started to farm thus
manipulating the lives of the plants and animals around him/her.
Before that they were hunter-gatherers, living a nomadic life. By
9000 BC, they started domesticating wheat, barley, sheep& goat. By
the 1st century AD, most of the people throughout the world were
agriculturists. But this agricultural revolution left the farmer's life
less satisfying than the foragers because though the average farmer
worked harder than the average forager all they got in return is a
worse diet. Wheat demanded the homosapien who roamed as a hunter-
gatherer, to stay in one place, to take care of it, while their body
evolutionarily is not designed to do so, thus causing ailments such as
arthritis and hernias. But at the same time it increased food supply and
population, thus it kept more people alive even in worse conditions.
Because of these reasons wheat become the most successful plants in the
history of Earth and “wheat started domesticating us rather than vice
versa” and humans got struck in its luxury trap (Harari, 2014).
The questions that need to be reflected include: Are we still struck in
the trap?Is the wheat still domesticating us? The answer is YES, but
in another form, MAIDA (Refined Flour).
Maida
Maida is one type of flour obtained from wheat. It is made by removing
the bran (fiber rich) and the germ (nutrient rich) of the wheat. The
endosperm part of the wheat grain is processed which results in yellowish
flour because of the pigments (Xanthophylls) present in endosperm.
Figure 1: Wheat diagram | Wiring schematic diagram
Dark side of the white flour-Maida
Indian Journal of Health and Well-being
2020, 11(1-3), 100-105
http://www.iahrw.com/index.php/home/journal_detail/19#list
© 2020 Indian Association of Health, Research and Welfare
ISSN-p-2229-5356,e-2321-3698, NAAS Ratings 4.13
https://doi.org/10.15614/IJHW.v11i01.20
S. Ganga, P.M. Mathiyoli, and K.P. Naachimuthu
Department of Psychology, PSG College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
Corresponding Author:
K.P. Naachimuthu
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
PSG College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
E-mail: kpnaachimuthu@psgcas.ac.in
To make it attractive to the consumers it is made white by exposing it
to various chemicals (bleaching agents) like benzoyl peroxide,
cal cium pero xide, chlorine gas, NO2, chlorin e dioxid e,
Azodicarbonamide. The most commonly used bleaching agents are
benzoyl oxide and chlorine gas (Gunasekaran, 2016).
Regulations by FSSAI
According to FSSAI (2014), “Maida means the fine product made by
milling or grinding clean wheat, free from rodent hair and excreta
and bolting or dressing the resulting wheat meal”. The Food Safety
and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) recently (February 2019)
has directed food business operators (FBOs) to label Atta as Whole
Wheat Flour (Atta) and Maida as Refined Wheat Flour (Maida)
wherever the same is used as singly or as ingredient in food items.
Refined wheat flour / Maida contains
● Moisture: Not more than 14.0 per cent (when determined by
heating at 130-133oC for 2 hours).
● Total ash: Not more than 1.0 per cent (on dry weight basis).
● Ash insoluble in dilute HCL: Not more than 0.1 percent (on a dry
weight basis).
● Gluten (on a dry weight basis): Not less than 7.5 per cent.
● Alcoholic acidity (with 90 percent alcohol): Not more than 0.12
percent expressed as H2SO4 (on a dry weight basis)
If the product is to be used for bakery purpose, the following flour
treatment agents in the quantities mentioned against each may be
used, namely:
● Benzoyl peroxide (Max) -40 p.p.m.
● Potassium bromate (Max) -20 p.p.m.
● Ascorbic acid (Max) -200 p.p.m. (FSSAI, 2011)
The billion dollar industry
Wheat production has seen a remarkable rise from 1960's, i.e., from
the green revolution. In 1960 the wheat production in India is 10,320
metric tonnes (MT), where as in 2019 it is 1,02,190 metric tonnes.
The Food, Seeds and Industrial (FSI) consumption of the wheat
raised from 13,718 MT in 1960 to 92,000 MT in 2019 (Indexmundi,
2019).
Bakery industry: Maida or refined wheat flour is the key player in the
bakery industry in India. As the wheat production rate is increasing
year on year, the bakery industry is also set to fly high with a CAGR
of 9.3% during 2019-2024. It has been predicted that the market
value of bakery industry in India will exceed US$ 12 billion by 2024
(IMARC, 2019).
The Indian bakery industry can be segregated on the basis of
product type and distribution channels. The product type includes
breads and rolls, cakes and pastries, rusks and biscuits. In this the
biscuit which is largest consumer product segment in India is worth
Rs. 35,000 crores, currently holding the largest share in the bakery
industry (Economic times, 2019). The distribution channel includes
fast food outlets, convenien ce stores, supermarkets and
hypermarkets and independent retailers (IMARC, 2019). In the last
ten years India has witnessed a huge growth in bakery industry
especially due to the busy lifestyles, dual working parents,
availability and convenience, increase in disposable income,
changing eating habits and western influence (IMARC, 2019).
Fast food industry: The growth of young population in India also
paved the way for the fast food giants to enter into the Indian market
further stimulating the demand for breads as most of them use foods
such as sandwiches, burgers, cookies, pastries, and cakes, etc. Indian
fast food market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18% by 2020 due
to changing consumer behaviour and demography and is expected to
be worth US$ 27.57 billion by 2020 (Anitharaj, 2018).
Bleaching agent industry: A bleaching agent is a material that
lightens or whitens a substrate through chemical reaction. The
bleaching reactions usually involve oxidative or reductive processes
that degrade color systems (Farr, Smith, & Steichen, 2003). The
most commonly used bleaching agents in Maida includes Benzoyl
peroxide, Potassium bromate, Ascorbic acid, Azodicarbonamide,
Hydrogen peroxide, Acetone peroxide, Chlorine and Chlorine
dioxide, Calcium peroxide and Sulfur dioxide.
These bleaching agents are used in the production of Flour and
Bakery products, Cheese, Sugar, Candies, and Caramels. The
freshly milled flour usually contains a slight yellowish colour
because of the presence of carotenoids thus to turn the flour white
bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide, benzoyl peroxide, and
chlorine dioxide are used. The bleaching agents also oxidizes the
surface of the flour and promotes its gluten -producing potential.
Additionally, Bleaching of flour helps in the weakening of the
proteins and maturation of the flour in a reduced amount of time and
has thereby become a necessity for flour producers (Markets &
Markets, 2018).
Due to the rising demand for bread and bread-related products,
growing urban population, increasing disposable income, and the
technological advancements in flour quality assessment the global
demand for bleaching agents is increasing. The bleaching agents
market was valued at USD 692.6 Million in 2017 and is predicted to
grow at a CAGR of 5.5% from 2018 and is expected to reach USD
953.8 Million by 2023 (Markets & Markets, 2018).
The dominant players in this industry are Evonik Industries
(Germany ), BASF (US), So lvay (Belg ium), A kzoNo bel
(Netherlands), and PeroxyChem (US) and they hold more than half
of the shares in the bleaching agents market. These companies have
a strong distribution network and have manufacturing facilities
across Europe, North America and other parts of the World (Markets
& Markets, 2018).
Asia Pacific is found to be the growing market for bleaching
agents industry. The reason for this is the increase in the bakery
industry & fast food outlets in these areas. The major countries with
growth potential in this market include China, India, Japan, and
Australia. India is estimated to account for a significant share of the
Asia Pacific market through 2023. In India the key players are the
Aditya Birla Chemicals (Grasim), Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals,
Supraveni Chemicals, and Spectrum Chemicals Manufacturing
Corporation (Markets & Markets, 2018).
Maida's entry into India
The origin of this business giant in India traces back to the Mughal
rule in India. When Mughal emperor Babur, who was rumored to
have disliked Indian roti, brought the flatbread to the country from
Persia (present day Iran) and Fergana valley (Uzbekistan), in the
early 16th century (Dash, 2015). One of the forms in which Maida is
used is, Naan. Though the Mughal relished Naan, they were not the
ones who made it. The first recorded history of Naan found in the
notes of the Indo-Persian poet Amir Kushrau, dates this unleavened
bread to 1300 AD (14th century). This points its origin towards the
Persian-speaking Central Asian nations like Afghanistan,
Uzbekistan, Iran and Tajikistan. Then Naan was cooked at the
Indian Journal of Health and Well-being 2020, 11(1-3), 100-105 101
Imperial Court in Delhi (Dash, 2014) as naan-e-tunuk (light bread)
and naan-e-tanuri (cooked in a tandoor oven). But the Naan and the
bread used on those times was far from 'white flour' and 'Maida' used
now, as the stones, pestles, and the mortars used to grind it could not
separate the germ and the bran completely from the kernel. It was
only after the invention of roller mill in the 19th century, not just the
colour of the white flour, but also who and how they ate it, changed
(McKenzie, 2014).
The white danger
Maida, which is a refined waste product of wheat flour, comes with a
serious health consequences. It's fascinating taste and its high stretch
ability, and extensibility along with its high shelf-life improved its
market, but it poses a serious threat to human health. The global
prevalence of various psychological and physiological diseases
associated with Maida flour, urges the need for a transformation.
Physiological impacts
Celiac disease: Endosperm has starch granules which contain two
types of proteins-Glutenin and Gliadin. When it is combined with
water, they form membrane like network called gluten, which gives
elasticity and longer shelf life to Maida (Jain, 2017).
Gluten intake is considered to be a factor in developing Celiac
disease, which is an auto-immune disease in which the immune
system mistakes substances inside gluten to be a threat to the body
and attacks them, causing damage to the bowel surface and the
intestinal lining (permeable gut), thus hampering its ability to absorb
nutrition. Higher gluten intake was associated with a 6.1% increased
risk of celiac disease autoimmunity, an immunological response to
gluten, and a 7.2% increased risk of celiac disease per each additional
gram or gluten per day (Andrew, 2019).
Prevalence- It is estimated to affect about 1 in 100 people worldwide
and more than 2 million people might not know that they have it and
they have the chance of developing other autoimmune disorders,
according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. The prevalence of celiac
disease has jumped four folds in India since the 1960s and now eighty
lakh people are affected, according to experts at the International
Symposium on Wheat Related Disorders (ISWD) (Down to Earth,
2019)
Market-Asia is expected to show high growth rates in the next five
years in global celiac drugs market, with China and India being the
fastest growing markets in the Asia-Pacific region (Market Report
Observer, 2019).
Diabetes mellitus: When bleached flour was introduced in America
during the early 20th century, nitrogen trichloride, commonly known
as Agene is used as a bleaching agent. Then in 1948, a British
nutritionist named Lord Mellanby, conducted experiments in which
dogs were fed with white bread made of flour bleached with nitrogen
trichloride. Lord mellanby's dogs had fits which is similar to epilepsy
in human beings. Then baking and milling industry came up with
new bleach, chlorine dioxide (Rorty, 1954). This chlorine dioxide,
used for bleaching flour to make it 'white', leaves alloxan as a
byproduct (Schwarcz, 2017). Alloxan results in the degradation of
pancreatic beta-cells, which is responsible for producing insulin,
resulting in type1 diabetes mellitus. Apart from this, Maida has high
glycemic Index, which increases the chance of getting diabetes
mellitus (Rohilla & Ali, 2012).
Prevalence- In 2019, approximately 463 million adults (20-79 years)
were living with diabetes; by 2045 this will rise to 700 million
(International Diabetes Federation, 2019).
Market-The global diabetes market should reach $155 billion by
2021 from $125 billion in 2016 at a compound annual growth rate
(CAGR) of 4.4%, from 2016 to 2021 (Medgadget, 2020).
Cancer-One of the bleaching agent used in Maida is potassium
bromate which helps in giving high rise and uniform finish. In 1992,
The Joint FAO-WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
(JECFA) co nc lu de d po ta ss iu m bromated a s 'g en ot ox ic
carcinogen'.The International Agency for Research on Cancer
(IARC), associated with WHO, classified potassium bromate in
1999 as class 2B, i.e., possibly carcinogenic to humans (CSE, 2015).
Prevalence-Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally,
and is responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018.
Globally, about 1 in 6 deaths is due to cancer. Around one third of
deaths from cancer are due to the 5 leading behavioral and dietary
risks: high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of
physical activity, tobacco use, and alcohol use (WHO, 2018).
Market-The global oncology/cancer drugs market was valued at
$97,401 million in 2017, and is estimated to reach at $176,509
million by 2025, registering a CAGR of 7.6% from 2018 to 2025
(Allied market research, 2019).
Other disorders
Glue of the gut- Maida is called as 'glue of the gut', as it turns into
glue in intestines. This happens because of the absence of fiber
content. This is congested in the system, resulting in sluggish
metabolism and can often lead to weight gain, stress, headaches and
migraines (Agarwal, 2018).
Coronary artery disease -Alloxanis present in the bleached Maida
flour causes heart disease. The studies indicate a clear association
between atherosclerotic coronary artery disease and Maida eating.
Maida is labeled as a slow poison by eminent physicians. Though the
use of alloxan is banned by FSSAI, the use of chlorine dioxide to
bleach flour leaves alloxan as a by-product (Waheed, Akbar, Naqvi,
et al., 2016).
Osteoporosis and arthritis- During the refining process, all the
nutrients are removed from the flour. This makes the flour acidic. So,
to compensate the acid-alkaline imbalance, the body is forced to take
calcium away from bones. This causes bone loss, which leads to
serious conditions like osteoporosis, Arthritis and other chronic
illness (Mahajan, 2016).
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity - Gut permeability of these people are
normal, unlike that of celiacs, but gluten makes it sore just as much
as that of celiacs. Symptoms emerge hours to days after gluten
exposure and are largely extra-intestinal; they include headache and
eczema but also fatigue and foggy mind (Anderson, 2019).
Asthma - The bleaching agent Azodicarbonamide is used in Maida;
key toxic effect of Azodicarbonamide is asthmagenicity (CICAD-
WHO, 1999).
Psychological impacts
Low density lipoproteins (LDL) are essential for delivering
cholesterol to the brain but the high glucose content of the refined
flour results in glycation (glucose binds with this low density
lipoprotein resulting in the oxidation of LDL) creating free radicals,
which leads to the damage to DNA and various cognitive
impairments.
GANGA ET AL./ DARK SIDE OF THE WHITE FLOUR-MAIDA102
Majority of feel-good hormones and chemicals are produced around
the intestines, which is called as “second brain”. Gluten intake results
in damage to the lining of the intestines, this causes the inability of
the intestines to intake the nutrients, which are needed for the
production of various neurological chemicals like serotonin,
resulting in mood related disorders because, more than 90% of the
serotonin in our body is produced in this region. This is the reason
why, celiac disease associated with increased risk of depression
(1/3rd of celiac patients are diagnosed with depression) and
psychosis.
Hemoglobin A1C is the protein found in the red blood cell that
carries oxygen and binds to blood sugar, and this binding &
Hemoglobin A1C level is increased when blood sugar is elevated.
There is a direct relationship between hemoglobin A1C and the
future risk of depression (Perlmutter, 2013).
Antibodies against gluten, attack an enzyme involved in the
production of GABA-prime inhibitory neurotransmitter, whose
dysregulation is implicated in both anxiety and depression.
Antibodies against the brain, triggered by gluten, can cause severe
neurological dysfunctions (Bressen, 2016).
The food with gluten content is sticky, which interferes with
digestion, resulting in the formation of residue in the gut, this residue
activates the immune system resulting in damage to the intestinal
lining. When a body negatively reacts to food, it attempts to control
the damage by sending out inflammatory messenger molecules and
inflammatory chemicals especially cytokines, which causes
inflammation to wipe out the enemies, but Cytokine is an antagonist
to brain, damaging tissue and leaving the brain vulnerable to
dysfunction and disease. Cytokines also blocks the production of
neurotransmitters like serotonin, again resulting in depression and
anxiety (Perlmutter, 2013).
Studies have found raised gluten-related antibodies in patients
with bipolar, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia. The
episodes of acute mania is associated with increased serum levels of
antibodies against gliadin. Hence, there is mounting evidence for a
potentially bi-directional relationship between gluten sensitivity and
psychiatric disorders (Busby, 2018).
Difficulty in unlearning unsustainable consumption
Gluten breaks down in the stomach to become the mix of
polypeptide, which can cross the blood-brain barrier and binds with
the brain's opioid receptors, as it is a exorphin (an external
morphine), which is responsible for producing sensational high/
euphoria. Opioids are involved in both the palatability and rewarding
aspects of food, hence they play a major role in food cravings and
food addiction, thus people find it extremely hard to give them up
(Perlmutter, 2013).
In children with psychotic symptoms, patients with schizophrenia
and women with postpartum psychosis larger than normal amounts
of exorphins have been detected in the cerebrospinal fluid; exorphins
clearly do not belong there. In the presence of faulty barriers, though,
they could migrate from the gut to the blood (prompting an immune
reaction) and from there to the cerebrospinal fluid. In people with
schizophrenia (unlike in healthy individuals) the more antibodies
against gluten found in the blood, the more it can be noticed in the
cerebrospinal fluid (Bressen, 2016).
Ecological impact of Maida
Carbon footprint and GHG: The environmental impact of producing
a loaf of bread has been analyzed in depth from the farm to the shop
shelf. The biggest single factor is the use of fertilizer to grow wheat,
which accounts for 43% of greenhouse gas emissions (Briggs,
2017). The carbon footprint of one loaf of bread ranges from
1,111gm to 1,244gm CO2 eq/800g loaf of bread. The major hotspots
are wheat cultivation and consumption (toasting & refrigeration) of
bread, contributing 35% and 25% to the total respectively (Orias,
2011). At the same time it is also found that the wheat grown at
atmospheric concentrations of CO2 levels between 546-586 ppm
reduced the protein, zinc, iron and vitamin content of the wheat. Due
to this, it is estimated that around 600 million people with lower
income will be put at the risk of low nutrition especially in Asia
(Down to Earth, 2019).
The ozone: Wheat contributes to ozone layer depletion at the same
time it is also adversely affected by it. Wheat cultivation leads to
ozone layer depletion, which is caused by the emission of
halogenated organic compounds like methyl chloride, methyl
bromide and methyl iodide, these compounds forms the source of
reactive species capable of destroying the ozone (Hyslop, 2019). On
the other hand, Wheat varieties which were developed after the year
2000 were designed in a way as to maximize the photosynthetic rates
of crops. This is especially done to produce more food, but to make
more food, plants need to absorb more carbon dioxide. So they open
their pores (stomata) for longer periods of time. Thus along with the
carbon dioxide more ozone present in the environment will also
enter into the stomata leading to cell damage (Singh et al., 2018).
Mono cropping: Increasing demand of grains, especially wheat, is
forcing us towards mono-cropping but 75% of the world's crops
have been lost over 100 years, this corresponds roughly to the
beginning of monoculture farming from 1901. It diminishes the
nutrient content of the soil, creating the need for the use of chemical
fertilizers. The nutrient deficient soil is also susceptible to soil
erosion, resulting in the prevalence of run-off pollution. Our natural
pollinators- Bees are susceptible to the effects of neurotoxins of the
pesticides that we use in the monoculture crop, it is the number one
cause of the bee colony collapse (Wilson, 2015).
Virtual water and water intensive crop: India occupies 13th place in
the list of world's 17 'extremely water-stressed' countries. A region is
said to be under 'water stress' when the demand for water in that area
exceeds the available volume and when there is a poor quality usage
of water (WRI, 2019). Around 80% of the country's water is used for
agriculture and groundwater runs 94.5 percent of all minor irrigation
schemes in India. Due to the lack of sustainable agricultural
practices the groundwater is being tremendously exploited. Wheat
being a water intensive crop further boosts this process thus it may
soon lead to water scarcity. The regions such as Punjab, Haryana,
Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan found to be the most water-stressed
regions in the country. It should be noted that wheat is extensively
grown in these areas (Down to Earth, 2019).
India has exported around 500 MT of wheat during 2019
(Indexmundi, 2019). Around 500 to 4000 litres of water is required
to produce 1 kilogram of wheat, thus the amount of water required to
produce 500 MT will be much higher (The Guardian, 2013). This
water used for the production of a product, from start to finish is
called as Virtual water and is a mainly neglected and hidden
component of production. This concept was bought mainly to help
poor water countries to reduce their export and increase their import
from a country with rich and self-sufficient water resources (Lilly
White, 2014) so that the water resources in each country can be
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managed in an appropriate rate and overexploitation can be
prevented. India already being a water stressed country much keep a
check on its exports so as to prevent its water resources from being
traded at a higher rate.
Actions taken
The Bleaching agents used to whiten Maida is also used in various
non- food processing industries like:
● Benzoyl peroxide is used to treat acne lesions (Simonart, 2012) as
a whitening agent in toothpaste, for bleaching hair and removing
stains from the vinyl dolls (Stevens & Cynthia, 2014).
● Azodicarbonamide is used as a blowing agent in plastics, synthetic
leather and in other industries (Weber et al., 2016).
● Hydrogen peroxide which holds the largest share in terms of value
in the bleaching agent industry (Market & Market, 2019) is used in
paper-pulp bleaching industry (Hage & Lienke, 2005). It is also
used in laundry detergents, disinfectant and antiseptics,
toothpaste, cosmetics, and also as a propellant.
● Acetone peroxide or TATP (triacetone triperoxide) which have the
nickname “The Mother of Satan” is a compound used for making
explosives (Dubnickova et al., 2005).
● Chlorine and chlorine dioxide are used in pulping industry to
bleach wood or paper-pulp. These are also used for sanitation
purposes to clean toilets and bathrooms. Chlorine is usually used
(in the form of hypochlorous acid) to bacteria kill bacteria and
other microbes in drinking water supplies and swimming pools
(Koski et al., 1966).
Some countries and industries have taken action against the use of
these bleaching agents as they realized the physical and
psychological complications caused by these substances. Certain
flour bleaching agents such as potassium bromate, potassium iodate,
and chlorine has been banned in some countries. The usage of these
bleaching agents has been banned by food authorities of countries
such as Australia, Japan, Brazil, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, and
China (Market & Market, 2019). Azodicarbonamide is banned in
countries like Australia and the European Union. It is illegal to add
this bleaching agent in flour in these countries. The sandwich
franchise Subway and Hamburger franchise Wendy's announced that
they would no longer use it as a dough conditioner (CNN, 2014).
Inactions
Only some of these bleaching agents are completely banned from
usage which is also only in few parts of the world. The bleaching
agents especially hydrogen peroxide and benzoyl peroxide are still
used to bleach flour and many countries permits the usage of these
bleaching agents at an appropriate level. But in India still no action is
taken by the government to ban these bleaching agents. Potassium
bromate which is being banned by countries across the world due to
its direct link with cancer is still being used in India for bleaching
flour. A test was conducted by the Centre for Science and
Environment (CSE) to check the levels of potassium bromate in
bread and bakery products around Delhi and about 84% of bread and
bakery samples contained residues of potassium bromate/iodate.
As seen earlier all these chemicals leads to various health
complications, because things which is not supposed to be
found/added in any food products, are being added/exploited by the
industries for monetary gains. Also the consumers who buy these
products are being stupid. In spite of focusing on the nutritional
content people focusses more on the physical appearance, texture
and flavor of the food.
All these bleaching agents are used in whitening Maida which is
further turned into various food products (like cakes, breads,
biscuits, sandwiches, etc.) in which additional chemicals, artificial
flavors and colors are added without any second thought. Finally
when these polished products reach the hands of the consumers it
will be nothing but TOXIC. This poison may not kill a human
immediately but it will destroy them slowly from within. Hence
consuming Maida and Maida based products can simply be stated as
an attempt to kill oneself. It is clearly visible that Maida is nothing
but “death in the form of food and a parasite that is slowly destroying
the ecology”.
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Received February 10, 2020
Revision received February 18, 2020
Accepted February 20, 2020
Indian Journal of Health and Well-being 2020, 11(1-3), 100-105 105
