Chlorine dioxide
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-1.00
points/product
Description
Chlorine dioxide (E926) is a food additive classified as a flour treatment agent, used mainly to bleach and mature flour, as well as to disinfect surfaces and water in the food industry. It is a reddish-yellow gas, soluble in water, with a characteristic chlorine-like odor.
Industrially, it is obtained by reacting sodium chlorite with chlorine gas or hydrochloric acid, or by reducing sodium chlorate in an acidic medium. Its chemical formula is ClO₂. Chlorine dioxide acts as a strong oxidizing agent, destroying microorganisms and bleaching natural pigments in flour.
Historically, its use as a food additive began in the United States in the mid-20th century, and it was approved in the European Union following Directive 95/2/EC. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has evaluated E926 on several occasions, establishing an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 0.3 mg/kg body weight per day for chlorine dioxide and its derivatives.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also evaluated it, setting a similar ADI. In the EU, its use is restricted to certain foods and maximum levels, and it must be declared on labeling as "chlorine dioxide" or "E926". The overall safety assessment is that, within authorized limits, it does not pose a significant risk to human health. However, its use has been controversial due to the possible formation of by-products such as chlorites and chlorates, which can have adverse effects at high doses. Therefore, EFSA recommends rigorous control of residual levels.
In the food industry, E926 is also used as a disinfectant in the processing of fruits and vegetables, although in the EU its use as a direct food additive is mainly limited to flour treatment.
E926 is mainly used as a flour treatment agent to bleach and mature wheat flour, improving its bread-making properties. It is also used as a disinfectant in washing fruits and vegetables, and in the treatment of drinking water. In the European Union, Regulation (EC) 1333/2008 authorizes its use in wheat flour for bread-making with a maximum limit of 50 mg/kg (expressed as chlorine dioxide). In other foods, such as processed fruits and vegetables, its use is permitted as a disinfectant with specific limits (e.g., 3 mg/L in wash water).
In the Spanish market, it is found in treated flours for industrial baking and in bakery products that require rapid maturation. Comparatively, in the United States the FDA allows its use in wheat flour up to 50 mg/kg, similar to the EU, while in Japan its use is more restricted and only allowed in some products. It is important to note that E926 is not authorized in organic foods or in products intended for infants and young children.
Documented adverse effects of chlorine dioxide (E926) are mainly associated with acute exposure by inhalation or ingestion of high doses, rather than consumption in foods within authorized limits. Animal studies have shown that high doses can cause gastrointestinal irritation, kidney damage, and alterations in the thyroid gland.
The biological mechanism is based on its oxidizing action, which can generate reactive oxygen species and damage cell membranes. In humans, accidental ingestion of large amounts can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. Sensitive populations include people with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, as chlorine dioxide can induce hemolysis. No significant interactions with medications have been reported at dietary exposure levels.
EFSA, in its 2015 evaluation, concluded that dietary exposure to E926 at authorized levels does not pose a health risk, although it noted the need to control levels of chlorite and chlorate as by-products. The WHO also considers chlorine dioxide safe for water treatment when recommended limits are maintained.
In summary, for the average consumer, E926 is considered safe within legal limits, with no significant documented side effects.
- Chlorine dioxide
- ClO₂
- Chlorine dioxide (E926)
- Chlorine dioxide (INS 926)
- Chlorine dioxide (CAS 10049-04-4)
- Chlorine(IV) oxide
- Chlorine oxide
- Oxidizing chlorine gas
- Stabilized chlorine dioxide
- Liquid ClO2 (in solution)
- Chemical bleaching agent
- Technical chlorine oxide
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