Why is Acetone Peroxide Added to Food?

What is Acetone Peroxide?

Acetone peroxide is a white crystalline powder.  It smells like bleach.

In the food industry, it is used as an oxidizing agent.  Generally, oxidizing agents chemicals that are used to speed up aging processes.

Purpose:

Used to whiten, mature, and strengthen flour.

Description:

Freshly milled flour has a yellowish colour. When stored for several months, the flour becomes whiter and the baking qualities improve due to oxidation. Unfortunately, this process is slow and the results are inconsistent.

Acetone peroxide is used to speed up the oxidation process. This allows companies to produce a more consistent product and get the flour to market sooner, which in turn helps them earn more money.

As a side note, it is also a commonly used high explosive and has been used by terrorists

E Number:

The E number of acetone peroxide is 929.

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