BELAGAVI: The alarming report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) last month claiming the chemicals used in the bread and buns leads to cancer has affected the bakery industry slightly in Belagavi, as it made the consumers to think twice before buying bakery products. Amid the report of CSE, Belgaum Bakers Association claimed the bread and buns prepared in city and the district are completely safe to consume, as they are natural and free from chemicals. CSE report indicated that 84% of 38 pre-packaged breads and buns, ready-to- eat burger bread and ready-to-eat pizza bread tested in CSE labs tested positive for potassium bromate and potassium iodate-addictives used to treat the dough. It's a category of 2B carcinogen that causes cancer and also leads to thyroid disorders. Contesting the findings of CSE report, Shivaji Jadhav, president of Belagavi Bakers Association (BBA) claimed that no any type of chemicals are used in making bread or buns in Belagavi and they are completely safe to eat. Probably branded companies might have been using such chemicals to keep their products for long time from obliterated. Jadhav says breads prepared in Belagavi are popular since long years and harmless to the health. Speaking to the TOI, Satish, owner of New Bangalore Aiyangar Bekari located in Shahapur, said there is no need of using chemicals in bread making. Sugar, maida and oil are the major contents used in bread making. "I don't know where this issue of chemical mixing is come from. In my bakery, every day I prepare around 40 breads, which are sold within a day or two. If bread is kept more than two days, it becomes hard and customers reject it", he said. However, the CSE report has become successful in creating doubts in the mind of people about the ingredients used in bread making who used to buy bakery products without second thought earlier. It hasn't made large effect but surely in small extent.