Development of a Rapid and Low-Cost Methods for Quantification of Potassium Bromate and Sugars in Breads Using Digital Image Analysis

Bread is one of the most widely consumed staple foods worldwide, and the use of chemical additives during its production represents a significant concern due to potential health risks. Among these additives, potassium bromate (KBrO 3 ) is classified as a possible carcinogen and is banned in many countries, including Brazil. In addition, sugars (glucose and fructose) are commonly added to enhance the flavor, texture, and shelf life. These additives, in some cases, exceed recommended dietary limits, and analytical methods are used to monitor the regulatory levels of these compounds. To achieve this goal, traditional methods, although efficient, are mostly expensive and time-consuming. Thus, we developed a rapid, low-cost, and environmentally friendly methods based on smartphone-assisted digital image analysis (DIA) for the quantification of KBrO 3 , glucose, and fructose in 22 commercial bread samples. After optimizing the DIA parameters, we have determined saturation and red as the best-performing channels for KBrO 3 and sugars, respectively. The DIA methods were validated against UV–Vis spectrophotometry, showing no statistically significant differences. KBrO 3 was detected in ten samples (from 4.03 to 31.69 µg g⁻ 1 ), indicating regulatory non-compliance. Glucose was the predominant sugar, indicating nutritional variability and the need for monitoring. The DIA methods enabled rapid, eco-friendly routine quality control.