The Lab
Specimen No. 0192
AvoidSyntheticfood banned near banned processing agents

Chlorine Dioxide

flour bleaching agent

Master DB rating: Avoid. Listed for: Bleached flour products

low confidence
Researched July 7, 2026

Concerns

  • Chlorine dioxide bleaching has been shown to form trace levels of alloxan (a compound used to chemically induce diabetes in laboratory rodents at much higher doses) in some bleached flour samples, detected via LC-MS/MS in roughly a quarter of tested samples at ~1 ppm mean concentration
  • [Inference] Human diabetes risk from dietary alloxan exposure at these trace concentrations is not established — this remains an unproven concern, not a demonstrated health risk; also destroys vitamin E in flour and is not listed on labels as it is classified a processing aid

Regulatory flags

  • IARC Class: NL
  • EDC Status: None
  • Regulatory: US: GRAS processing aid (21 CFR 137.105); EU: banned
  • Evidence Grade: C

Commonly found in

Bleached flour products

Research disclaimer: This rating is based on available peer-reviewed research and regulatory assessments at the time of publication. It is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional for personal health or skin concerns.

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