[ CYPHER CODE #1673 ]
America keeps finding out other countries stopped eating our shortcuts.

[ CYPHER CODE #1674 ]
The pizza tastes normal because the chemical became invisible.

[ CYPHER CODE #1675 ]
The real question isn't why New York wants it gone. It's why America kept it this long.

BRIEFING

Grant here. Think most Americans know at this point that our food quality in many ways is subpar to our European neighbors. But a New York food-safety bill just took direct aim at a chemical many Americans never even knew was creeping inside a majority of pizza and bagel doughs. Let’s break it down.

New York lawmakers have passed a bill that would ban potassium bromate, a flour additive used to strengthen dough, help it rise, and create a more consistent texture. If the bill is signed into law, some pizzerias and bakeries would have to switch flour recipes, which would definitely change how certain doughs look, taste, and behave.

SOURCE

New York lawmakers passed a bill that would ban a common chemical used in flour, including the the flour that's used to make pizza

If signed into law, pizzerias would have to switch to a new flour recipe which could change how some pizza looks and tastes

This is a good thing, the chemical is additive potassium bromate, it helps dough rise and gives pizza its texture, but it's also been linked to health concerns.

Potassium bromate is linked to

- Cancer risks
- Kidney Damage
- Hearing Loss at high doses

It’s also linked to thyroid issues, gastrointestinal irritation, reproductive abnormalities, and potential neurobehavioral changes

Ban it nationwide

Say what you will about NYC, but I think most will agree this bill is much needed, and it really makes you wonder why it's taken this long for the ingredient to be banned.

Potassium bromate has been controversial for years, as it's been linked to health concerns, including cancer and kidney damage in animal studies. It's frequently used as a dough conditioner, which means it helps flour perform better, especially in baking for the masses.

And the concern around potassium bromate isn't new, especially in other countries.

A 2023 review in the National Library of Medicine described potassium bromate as a possible human carcinogen and noted that multiple countries and agencies have banned its use as a flour additive. The Environmental Working Group has also long argued that potassium bromate is banned or not allowed in places including the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, and the European Union, while California required warning labels before later moving toward a ban.

DEBRIEFING

This all doesn't just come down to New York “coming for pizza.”

The bigger picture here is why Americans keep finding questionable additives in foods they've assumed were "normal" for years.

Other counties have already moved away from many toxic additives, while Americans are still being told to trust the good ol' FDA. A system that often lets additives remain in the food supply until states step in one by one.

NOW YOU KNOW

America keeps finding yesterday’s food chemicals in today’s dinner.