Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has opened an investigation into products containing potassium bromate, a food additive used in some flour and dough products sold in the state that has raised health concerns abroad.
As WINK News reported, the probe could carry particular implications for families, as it includes flour products sold in Florida and purchases tied to pre-K through 12th grade schools.
What happened?
According to a news release from the Office of the Attorney General, Uthmeier said Monday that his office is investigating certain products containing potassium bromate in Florida's supply chain and has issued a civil subpoena to General Mills.
The office said the inquiry is being conducted under Florida consumer protection laws. It centers on products sold in the state that contain potassium bromate, a chemical used in some bakery flours to improve flour and condition dough.
The records request includes documents involving 50-pound bulk flour sacks from brands like Gold Medal and Pillsbury.
Investigators are also seeking details about General Mills' largest Florida buyers from 2023 through 2026, any disclosures made to those buyers, and research on the ingredient's potential health effects.
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"Floridians have a right to know what is in the food they buy and feed their children," Uthmeier said in the release.
Why does it matter?
The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies potassium bromate as "possibly carcinogenic to humans," the release noted.
Florida's attorney general's office said health concerns have led places like the European Union, Canada, China, and India to ban it as a food additive. Despite that, the Food and Drug Administration permits potassium bromate in select food products, as WINK News noted.
Most families are not reviewing commercial flour specifications, and bulk ingredients used by schools, bakeries, or food service operators are often invisible to the people eating the finished food.
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The interest in additives like potassium bromate mirrors other campaigns to rid foods of artificial colors that similarly had troubling health risks.
What's being done?
The state's primary tool is document collection. By subpoenaing records from General Mills, Florida officials are trying to determine where these products were distributed and what the company knows about the ingredient and its risks.
That scrutiny could lead to greater consumer transparency, stronger disclosures, or additional action if investigators determine Floridians were not given enough information to make informed choices.
"This investigation is about protecting Florida families and providing transparency to our consumers," Uthmeier added in the release. "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."
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