QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT AND HEALTH RISK EVALUATION OF POTASSIUM BROMATE AND HEAVY METALS IN BREAD CONSUMED IN KADUNA METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

This study evaluates the concentration of potassium bromate (KBrO₃) and selected heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni) in bread samples obtained from Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria. Twenty samples were randomly collected from industrial and small-scale bakeries across four local government areas. Potassium bromate was analyzed using UV-Visible spectrophotometry, while heavy metals were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). Results showed potassium bromate concentrations ranging from 0.015 to 0.030 mg/kg (mean: 0.022 mg/kg), slightly exceeding WHO and US FDA limits (WHO, 2020). Lead (mean: 0.174 mg/kg) and nickel (mean: 0.146 mg/kg) exceeded permissible limits, while cadmium and chromium were within safe ranges. The findings indicate non-compliance with food safety regulations, particularly among small-scale bakeries. Continuous consumption poses serious health risks including carcinogenicity and organ toxicity (Adepoju et al., 2021; WHO, 2022).