Is Potassium bromate safe for babies and kids?
Elevated risk for kidsInfants face elevated exposure to Potassium bromate through formula, baby food, and breast milk contamination. Immature hepatic metabolism and higher intake-to-body-weight ratio amplify dose.
What is potassium bromate?
Also known as: Bromic acid, potassium salt, potassium trioxobromate, 04MB35W6ZA, NSC-215200.
- IUPAC name
- potassium bromate
- CAS number
- 7758-01-2
- Molecular formula
- BrKO3
- Molecular weight
- 167.0 g/mol
- SMILES
- [O-]Br(=O)=O.[K+]
- PubChem CID
- 23673461
Risk for babies
Elevated riskInfants face elevated exposure to Potassium bromate through formula, baby food, and breast milk contamination. Immature hepatic metabolism and higher intake-to-body-weight ratio amplify dose.
Neonates and infants up to 12 months have incomplete blood-brain barrier development, immature Phase I/II metabolic enzymes (particularly CYP3A4, UGT1A1), and higher gastrointestinal permeability. Equivalent doses produce higher internal concentrations and longer residence times.
Risk for pregnant and nursing people
Context-dependentPregnancy alters metabolism and increases susceptibility to Potassium bromate. Dietary additives consumed during pregnancy cross the placenta; safety margins for adults may not protect the developing fetus.
No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.
Regulatory consensus
9 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Potassium bromate. The classifications differ — that's the data.
| Agency | Year | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IARC | 1999 | Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) | Classified as Group 2B based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals (renal cell tumors, peritoneal mesotheliomas, thyroid follicular cell tumors in rats) and inadequate evidence in humans. Potassium bromate is oxidatively genotoxic and forms 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine DNA adducts; it induces oxidative stress in renal proximal tubule cells, the primary target organ. Although most bromate is destroyed by baking reactions (reducing to harmless bromide at temperatures >160°C with adequate oven time), residual bromate in finished bread has been detected. |
| EPA CTX / IARC | — | Group 2B - Possibly carcinogenic to humans | |
| EPA CTX / CalEPA | — | Known human carcinogen | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 7 positive / 0 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 7 positive / 0 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | Eye Irritation: Category 2B (score: moderate) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | Eye Irritation: Category 6.4A (Category 2A) (score: high) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | Skin Irritation: Category 6.3A (Category 2) (score: high) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | skin sensitisation: in vivo (LLNA): Not likely to be sensitizing (score: low) |
Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.
Where kids encounter potassium bromate
- Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
- Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles
- Food — processed food, beverages, candy, baked goods
Safer alternatives
Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Potassium bromate:
-
Calcium carbonate or kaolin fillers
Trade-offs: Different performance characteristics than specialty fillers.Relative cost: 1.2-2×
Frequently asked questions
Is potassium bromate safe for kids?
Infants face elevated exposure to Potassium bromate through formula, baby food, and breast milk contamination. Immature hepatic metabolism and higher intake-to-body-weight ratio amplify dose.
What products contain potassium bromate?
Potassium bromate appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments); processed food (Food).
What should I do if my child is exposed to potassium bromate?
Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.
Why do regulators disagree about potassium bromate?
Potassium bromate has been classified by 9 agencies including IARC, EPA CTX / IARC, EPA CTX / CalEPA, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.
See Potassium bromate in the baby app
Look up products containing potassium bromate, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.
Open in baby View raw API dataSources (3)
- IARC Monographs Volume 73: Some Chemicals that Cause Tumours of the Kidney or Urinary Bladder in Rodents and Some Other Substances — Potassium Bromate, Group 2B Classification, Renal Carcinogenicity, and 8-OHdG Oxidative DNA Damage Mechanism (1999) (1999) — academic
- US FDA: Potassium Bromate as Flour Improver — GRAS Status, Voluntary Withdrawal Policy, Residual Bromate in Finished Bread, and CSPI Petition History (2022) (2022) — regulatory
- EFSA: Potassium Bromate — EU Prohibition as Food Additive (1990), Residual Monitoring in Imported Bread Products, and IARC 2B Classification Review (2005) (2005) — regulatory
Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →