From Baguettes to Bombs: Surprising Industrial Uses of Common Food Chemicals

What does bread have in common with explosives, industrial cleaners and photo-developing solution? You may be surprised to learn they’re all made with the same chemical ingredient.

In fact, many of the chemicals in common processed foods are also found in consumer and industrial products. And focusing just on their use in what we eat and drink, there’s cause for concern about the potential health risks from some of these substances.

Industrial Uses of Food Chemicals

Propylparaben, a preservative used in pastries and some tortillas, can also be found in batteries, floor cleaner and glue. In food, this chemical is known to cause developmental and reproductive harm.

Potassium bromate is a dough conditioner in packaged baked goods. You can also find it in industrial cleaning agents, bombs and photo-developing solution. Food uses of this chemical may cause cancer in humans.