Florida issued a civil subpoena to General Mills over the use of potassium bromate in the US group’s flours, as part of the probe under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. Florida is reviewing the supply chain for bromated flour products, disclosures made to buyers and whether any such products were sold to schools in the state, Yahoo! Finance reports.

Potassium bromate is classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. The additive has been used as a flour improver and dough conditioner. The European Union banned potassium bromate as a food additive and flour treatment agent in 1990, and it is now banned in many parts of the world, including Canada, China and India. In California, potassium bromate and Red Dye No. 3 were banned 2023.

GLobalData quotes Attorney General James Uthmeier: “Floridians have a right to know what is in the food they buy and feed their children. We are investigating the supply chain for the presence of potassium bromate in products sold across our state, including any disclosures made to purchasers and research on its potential health effects.”

Investigators are also seeking whether customers or downstream buyers were informed about the ingredient, and whether products were sold to Florida schools.

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