Fit for Human Consumption?

Bleached Flour: What It Is, Why It’s Getting Warning Labels, and What to Buy Instead

Texas just passed a new law that could reshape the food industry. Starting in 2027, any new food product sold in the state that contains one of 44 specific additives must carry this warning:

“WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom.”

That phrase—“not recommended for human consumption”—is doing a lot of work. It sounds like something you’d find on a bottle of bleach, not a box of crackers.

And yet… one of the flagged ingredients is bleached flour, which is in just about everything. Including, probably, your pantry.

Before we get into the additive, a quick note on the law: it doesn’t touch existing products. It only applies to those developed or copyrighted in or after 2027. So this isn’t about cleaning up what’s already on shelves—it’s about influencing what comes next.

It’s an interesting move, especially from Texas, where it doesn’t seem their ethos is to follow in the footsteps of Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom. California already passed a similar measure in 2023, but it only banned four additives (those are part of the Texas 44). New York has a measure up for vote that contains five (again, those are also part of the Texas 44). Because food companies won’t make a special version just for a state, and given the market size of Texas, reformulating for Texas means reformulating for everyone.

The real question is: will consumers care? Will they read these labels? People still smoke despite warnings. Bars post signs about drinking while pregnant, but I doubt that’s where the decision gets made.

Maybe this isn’t about the current shopper. Perhaps it’s about shaping the next generation—one that pays attention to what’s considered “fit for human consumption.”

That brings me back to bleached flour. What is it, and should you be worried?

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Let’s start at the beginning. What is bleached flour?

Most people think of flour as one of those uncomplicated pantry staples. It’s just flour… right?

Not exactly.

Freshly milled flour is kind of like a brand-new pair of jeans: technically ready to use, but stiff and not quite at its best. But if that flour is left to sit for a few weeks, it naturally ages—becoming whiter and better to bake with. That’s what we call unbleached flour: flour that’s been allowed to mellow out on its own.

But waiting is inconvenient, especially when you’re a large manufacturer trying to move thousands of pounds of product. So instead of aging the flour slowly, food companies often speed things up with chemicals. Enter bleached flour—flour that’s been treated with whitening and aging agents like benzoyl peroxide, chlorine dioxide, and potassium bromate. These make the flour whiter, softer, and easier to work with—think of it as “fast fashion” for baking.

Seems like a lot of work. Why is flour even bleached?

In short: speed, consistency, and performance.

Natural aging takes weeks. Chemical bleaching takes hours. For food companies, that’s reason enough.

But bleaching doesn’t just save time—it also changes how flour behaves in the kitchen. Bleached flour is softer, more acidic, and better at absorbing fat and sugar. That means lighter cakes, more tender cookies, and picture-perfect pancakes.

Some recipes even depend on it. Boxed cake mix, for example, was only possible once bleached flour came on the scene. The texture, the rise, the even crumb—all thanks to those chemical tweaks.

That said, not every baked good needs that kind of help. For heartier things—like muffins, quick breads, or yeasted doughs—unbleached flour works just as well, sometimes better.

So while bleaching saves time and money, and can help in the baking process, it’s not really necessary.

Those additives sound like things in my medicine cabinet and swimming pool. Are they harmful?

You’re right. Some of the names—benzoyl peroxide, chlorine dioxide, potassium bromate—do sound more at home on a bottle of acne cream or pool cleaner than in your banana bread.

But let’s break it down.

Benzoyl peroxide and chlorine dioxide are used to whiten and age flour. They’re considered safe in small amounts, largely because they don’t stick around.

Ready for some food chemistry? Benzoyl peroxide quickly breaks down into benzoic acid (a common preservative) and oxygen, while chlorine dioxide reacts with compounds in the flour or evaporates entirely during processing. By the time the flour becomes dough and hits your oven, these agents are mostly gone. At most, they might leave a faint aftertaste—something only the most sensitive palates would notice.

Potassium bromate, though, is a different story. It’s an oxidizer that strengthens dough and helps it rise higher—especially useful in commercial baking. But animal studies have linked it to cancer, which is why it’s banned in the EU, UK, Canada, Japan, and recently, California.

And that’s the key reason bleached flour is landing on “do not use” lists.

That makes sense. But what about the stuff I buy at bakeries or order at restaurants—will those have warning signs too?

Probably not.

Even in states that require warning labels on certain additives, like California, the rules apply to manufacturers, not restaurants or bakeries. So unless your neighborhood bakery is printing ingredient labels next to the croissants, you won’t see any kind of “not recommended for human consumption” disclaimer.

Great - another thing to worry about. So what is my option? Avoid flour?

This isn’t about canceling flour.

The goal here isn’t to make you fear your toast—it’s to help you understand what’s in it, and give you a few low-effort ways to make informed choices.

If you want to steer clear of bleached flour and the additives that often come with it (like potassium bromate), here’s the simplest approach:

• Look for the word “unbleached” on the label.

• Buy organic flour, which by law cannot contain chemical bleaching or oxidizing agents.

• If a product just says “wheat flour” or “enriched wheat flour,” assume it’s bleached.

That’s it.

You don’t need to overhaul your baking routine, you just need to know that flour comes in different forms. Think of it less like a red flag and more like a yellow one.

Beginning in 2027, new state laws—including one in Texas—will require warning labels on newly developed food products that contain certain banned or restricted additives. One of those products? Bleached flour.

Why? It’s not the flour itself—it’s potassium bromate, an oxidizer often used in bleached flour that’s been linked to cancer in animals and banned in other parts of the world.

You won’t see these labels on every package—only on new products developed after 2027. So expect some confusion when similar items appear side by side, one with a label and one without.

My advice? When you’re buying flour or choosing packaged products made with it, look for “unbleached” on the label. Brands like King Arthur, Wonder Bread, and Martin’s Potato Rolls already use it. And organic flour is always additive-free, though it typically comes with a higher price tag.

No need to ditch flour—just get a little choosier about what you grab.