Flour additive that speeds up mixing, baking could potentially be banned in New York City
MANHATTAN, New York (WABC) -- A new law could soon change decades-old recipes as lawmakers push to ban a controversial additive that could impact New York staples like pizza.
Nothing says New York more than bagels and pizza, but right now, the two worlds are anxiously waiting to see if Governor Kathy Hochul signs off on legislation that would ban an additive traditionally used in flour.
"You don't need it in flour. It's sort of a crutch that people rely on to make dough a little better," said Michael Wesslock, the owner of The Pizza Box.
Potassium bromate, a chemical that strengthens dough, helps it rise higher, and speeds up mixing and baking times.
At The Pizza Box in Greenwich Village, they have never used bromated flour.
"We go off longer fermentation to develop that flavor as opposes to using chemicals," Wesslock said.
The agent has been linked to certain types of cancer and is already banned in other states and places around the world.
At Utopia Bagels in Midtown, they've been using bromated flour since day one, for nearly 50 years.
"We don't want to hurt or harm anybody. I just feel like I would want a little research and testing before a final decision is made," said Jesse Spellman, the owner of Utopia Bagels.
Many worry that switching to higher priced organic flour would jack up the cost of a pizza pie or bagel.
"When you're cooking at high temperatures, when the final product is finished, the carcinogens they are talking about aren't in the product anymore," Spellman said.
As far as how unbromated flour affects the taste of food.
"If they don't change their technique a little bit, it might be lacking some of the structure that you are used to, but you can make up for that in mixing times and temperature and changing water," Wesslock said.
If green lighted, distributors would have one year to transition their clients away from bromated flour and restaurants would be able to keep using their product based on the bag's expiration date.
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