Quantifying potassium bromate in flour using a phase-transfer headspace strategy.

BACKGROUND

This study introduces a phase-transfer headspace strategy to establish an efficient and innovative method for quantifying potassium bromate in flour. The method involves detecting carbon dioxide produced from the gas-producing reaction of potassium bromate in flour with oxalate. The carbon dioxide produced is quantitatively analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) in a sealed vial.

RESULTS

The study showed that the new technique was very precise (relative standard deviation ≤3.18%) and accurate (relative differences ≤5.37%) for potassium bromate quantification, with low detection limits (limit of detection = 1.83 mg kg-1) and good recovery rates (98.07% to 102.37%).

CONCLUSION

The proposed phase-transfer headspace strategy offers a fast and simple method for the regular estimation of potassium bromate in flour, providing a valuable tool to ensure the safety and effectiveness of flour-related products. It can be implemented in a wide variety of contexts from manufacturing to quality control. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.