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Bread, Bromate and Dora Akunyili: The Woman Who Fought for Your Safety - Vera - 01-11-2026
Most people see “NO BROMATE” printed boldly on bread nylons… but many don’t know the real reason behind it.
What Is Bromate?
Potassium bromate (KBrO₃) is a chemical that bakers once used to make bread rise better, look fluffier, and feel softer. It was cheap, effective — and dangerous.
The Hidden Danger
If bread isn’t baked hot or long enough, bromate doesn’t break down fully. It stays inside the loaf. When humans eat it repeatedly, it can accumulate in the body.
Studies later confirmed that bromate is carcinogenic — it can cause cancer and seriously damage the kidneys.
For years, Nigerians unknowingly ate bread containing this silent threat… until one woman decided it had to stop.
Enter Professor Dora Nkem Akunyili
As NAFDAC Director-General (2001–2008), she stepped into a chaotic food and drug system filled with fake products and harmful additives. Dora quietly sent teams into bakeries nationwide to collect bread samples.
The test results were shocking — most breads contained dangerous levels of bromate.
The Ban That Saved Lives
In 2002, NAFDAC under Dora Akunyili banned potassium bromate in bread production. She went public, warned Nigerians, and even called out bakeries using it. Her message was clear:
“The bread you give your children could be destroying their health.”
She faced fierce resistance from bakers, but she refused to back down.
NAFDAC carried out raids, shut down violators, and educated the public. Gradually, bakeries switched to safer alternatives like ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
This is how “NO BROMATE” became a symbol of safe, healthy bread.
Her Legacy
Many Nigerians today don’t realize how many lives this single decision protected. Dora Akunyili’s courage forced an entire industry to prioritize human life over profit.
So next time you open a loaf and see “NO BROMATE” written on it, remember the woman whose actions made that safety possible.
She protected a generation.