Carcinogens could be added to bread in post-Brexit US trade deal, campaigners warn

Max Stephens
·2 min read
Farmers in tractors protest over food and farming standards on the day the Agricultural Bill returns to the House of Commons - AFP/Tolga Akmen
Farmers in tractors protest over food and farming standards on the day the Agricultural Bill returns to the House of Commons - AFP/Tolga Akmen

Carcinogens could be added to bread if United State’s food standards are accepted post-Brexit, say campaigners as they warn of risks beyond chlorinated chicken.

Activists from the Save British Farming Campaign fear the UK may have to accept lower food standards to secure a future US trade deal with cheaper imports undercutting domestic farmers.

Protesters, mounted on tractors, demonstrated yesterday outside the Houses of Parliament against the Government’s Agricultural Bill, arguing the legislation does not protect current food and animal welfare standards.

Campaigners from the Save British Farming drove through the centre of London in protest against the Agricultural Bill - Aaron Chown/PA
Campaigners from the Save British Farming drove through the centre of London in protest against the Agricultural Bill - Aaron Chown/PA

A new report titled: US-UK trade deal: The hidden damage to public health has listed several known carcinogens used in bread manufacturing in the US which could find their way into Britain.

Toxic additives including  potassium bromate and azodicarbonamide are both used as leavening agents in pre-packaged bread with their use as a food additive banned by the EU decades ago.

Clinical trials on rodents have found that their consumption can cause kidney and thyroid cancer.

NHS dietitian Gabrielle Morse, who authored the paper, told the Telegraph: "Generally people seem to be aware of the dangers of having products such as chlorinated chicken from the US.

"However, this is not the full extent of the problem.

“If our current food standards are not protected, we face a reality of carcinogenic additives in our bread, salmonella infected eggs and meat filled with far more antibiotics than we currently have.

“The damage to our health by lowering of food standards goes far further than we realise."

Packs of 'Brexit Selection Freshly Chlorinated Chicken' sit on display at 'Costupper' Brexit Minimart pop-up store, set up by the People's Vote campaign group, - Anadolu
Packs of 'Brexit Selection Freshly Chlorinated Chicken' sit on display at 'Costupper' Brexit Minimart pop-up store, set up by the People's Vote campaign group, - Anadolu

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron’s Europe Minister warned yesterday he will show “no weakness” during tough trade negotiations over Brexit fishing rights.

Boris Johnson told the French President that progress had to be made in fisheries if a free trade agreement was to be struck when the two leaders spoke on Saturday morning.

The Prime Minister threatened to quit the negotiations if the “shape” of a trade deal is not in sight by Thursday’s EU summit.

In response, Clément Beaune, a close ally of Mr Macron said: “We will not accept a bad deal and a bad deal on fisheries in particular.”