Additives
Calcium Iodate (E916): What It Is and Is It Safe?
Limited risk
Flour Treatment Agent · Iodine source / dough oxidiser
Calcium iodate is an oxidising dough conditioner and a source of dietary iodine used in bread and flour in some countries. Because it delivers iodine, excessive or uncontrolled intake can disturb thyroid function, causing either hyper- or hypothyroidism in susceptible people, so its use is bounded by iodine-intake limits. It is not authorised as a food additive in the EU or UK, where it appears mainly as an approved source of iodine in animal feed.
- Category
- Flour Treatment Agent — Iodine source / dough oxidiser
- Typically used in
- Dough oxidiser and iodine fortificant in bread and flour in some countries.
- Regulatory status
- Not authorised as a food additive in the EU/UK; used elsewhere as a dough conditioner and iodine source, and authorised in the EU only as a feed additive.
- Concerns flagged
-
Thyroid effects
Sources
Where this comes from
- EFSA (2025) — Assessment of the feed additives potassium iodide and calcium iodate anhydrous for all animal species https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12142268/
- JECFA (1983) — Iodate potassium JECFA evaluations https://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jeceval/jec_1983.htm
Products
Products containing Calcium Iodate
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