Calcium peroxide
Calcium peroxide is an inorganic peroxide, CaO2, classified internationally as INS 930 and used as a flour treatment agent. In dough, it acts as a strong oxidizer: it promotes gluten-strengthening reactions and can improve machinability in yeast-leavened bakery products. U.S. bread standards allow calcium peroxide only as part of a small combined limit for specified oxidizers, while Health Canada permits it in bread up to 100 ppm of flour when used alone and at good manufacturing practice levels in some unstandardized bakery products. The toxicology evidence is thin: JECFA’s 1960s review found no published toxicity data for calcium peroxide or bread made with treated flour and set no treatment level. The plausible hazard is concentrated oxidizer exposure—dust can irritate the eyes, skin, respiratory tract, mouth, or stomach—but that does not establish harm from regulated bakery use. The higher concern shown here comes from regulation, not from demonstrated human harm: China revoked calcium peroxide as a food additive and prohibited adding it to flour from May 1, 2011, stating it was no longer technologically necessary.
- Concern
- High
- Function
- Dough Conditioners
- Updated
- May 25, 2026
What this is
Calcium peroxide is an inorganic peroxide, CaO2, classified internationally as INS 930 and used as a flour treatment agent. In dough, it acts as a strong oxidizer: it promotes gluten-strengthening reactions and can improve machinability in yeast-leavened bakery products. U.S. bread standards allow calcium peroxide only as part of a small combined limit for specified oxidizers, while Health Canada permits it in bread up to 100 ppm of flour when used alone and at good manufacturing practice levels in some unstandardized bakery products. The toxicology evidence is thin: JECFA’s 1960s review found no published toxicity data for calcium peroxide or bread made with treated flour and set no treatment level. The plausible hazard is concentrated oxidizer exposure—dust can irritate the eyes, skin, respiratory tract, mouth, or stomach—but that does not establish harm from regulated bakery use. The higher concern shown here comes from regulation, not from demonstrated human harm: China revoked calcium peroxide as a food additive and prohibited adding it to flour from May 1, 2011, stating it was no longer technologically necessary.
Safety Review
The critical endpoints experts review in safety assessments. This is not a prediction of harm.
JECFA did not identify published toxicity studies for calcium peroxide itself or for bread made with calcium-peroxide-treated flour, and it set no treatment level. The clearest biological concern is local irritation from the concentrated oxidizing chemical: dust exposure can irritate tissues, and water contact forms alkaline calcium hydroxide; these are handling hazards, not evidence of harm from baked foods made within permitted limits. U.S. and Canadian rules allow only specific bakery/flour-treatment uses with small flour-based limits, which keeps expected dietary exposure small. The higher concern level comes from China’s revoked flour-use permission and prohibition on production and sale as a food additive, an action based on lack of technological necessity rather than proven consumer injury.
No safety review endpoints are listed for this ingredient yet.
Restaurant Usage
2 linked ingredient reports
State Policies
0 linked policies
No current state policy is listed for this ingredient in the policy tracker.
Federal Policies
0 linked policies
No direct federal policy is linked to this ingredient right now.
Sources
0 visible sources
Source population is still pending for this dossier. The page stays visible because the restaurant and policy context is still useful.