E918 – Oxides of nitroge
Flour bleaching agentDescription
Gaseous mixture of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and dinitrogen tetroxide (N2O4) used as a flour bleaching and maturing agent
Notes
Nitrogen oxides are a gaseous mixture made up of different combinations of nitrogen and oxygen molecules. These gases are produced industrially by controlled chemical reactions between nitrogen and oxygen at high temperatures. The resulting mixture contains various forms of nitrogen oxides that can be carefully regulated and purified for food industry use. This additive serves as both a flour bleaching and maturing agent, meaning it whitens flour while also improving its baking properties. When added to freshly milled flour, it speeds up the natural aging process that would normally take weeks or months, making the flour ready for commercial baking much faster. You'd typically find this used in industrial flour processing rather than in products you'd see directly on store shelves. Nitrogen oxides are synthetically produced chemicals rather than natural substances. This additive is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets since it contains no animal-derived ingredients. However, it's worth noting that many countries, including those in the European Union, have banned or heavily restricted the use of nitrogen oxides in food processing due to safety concerns, so it's primarily used in countries where it remains approved for flour treatment.