AGRA: Agra's Food Safety Department has decided to conduct sample tests in bakeries across the city, following revelations by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) that 84 per cent of bread and bakery samples collected from across Delhi contain cancer and thyroid causing residues of potassium bromate , iodate or both. Confirming the move, Ram Naresh Yadav, designated officer, Food Safety and drug administration said while the FDA has approved few additives FDA for use in bakery products, some manufacturers could be using compounds that are harmful to increase the shelf life of their products. He said since the report reveals that majority of samples in Delhi had failed tests, the department had decided to conduct checks in the city, which has about 50 big bakery units. While on the face of it the decision to conduct such checks may appear to be prudent, the fact is that Agra so far does not have any state of the art food testing laboratories. Only two weeks ago, the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) had approved a National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) certified lab but unfortunately it would functional only by the end of 2017. Sources in the department confess that so far their labs are only equipped to check for presence of some chemicals in food items but cannot conduct tests for adulteration. "Since such mass tests on bakeries would be conducted for the first time, one cannot be sure about their results", said an officer on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, the CSE study, which found 84 per cent of bread and bakery contaminated with chemicals, states that while potassium bromate, a Class 2B carcinogenic, can cause cancer, consumption of potassium iodate could lead to "thyroid disorders". The report says potassium bromate (KBrO3) helps achieve high rising and a uniform finish, and the potassium iodate (KIO3) is used by bread manufacturers, as flour treatment agents. These chemicals were popularly used across the world till late 1980s and early 1990s, when there was a conscious effort to minimise their use following evidence pointing towards adverse impact on the health of consumers. According to the report, the Pollution Monitoring Laboratory (PML) at CSE collected 38 bread and bakery samples from retail shops, bakeries and fast food outlets in Delhi during May-June 2015. The samples included popular varieties of white bread, whole wheat/atta bread, brown bread, multigrain bread, sandwich bread, pav, bun, ready-to-eat burger bread and ready-to-eat pizza bread. And shockingly 84% of them contained the harmful chemcials. Interestingly, the report states that while some countries have banned use of potassium bromate and/or iodate in bakery products, no such ban exists in US and India. The CSE has recommended that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) "should prohibit the use of these chemicals with immediate effect.