Systematic Review of the Studies on the Use and Risk of Exposure to Sodium Dithionate (Blankit) as an Unauthorized Additive in Some Food Products in Iran

Introduction: This systematic review aimed to examine the studies conducted on the use of sodium dithionate (Blankit) in food products and the risk of exposure to this unauthorized additive in Iran. Materials and Methods:This systematic review aimed to assess studies conducted over 10 years (2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014) on the use of Blankit and the associated risk of exposure to this additive in Iran Results: The results of studies conducted on the amounts and assessment of the risk from exposure to Blankit in various food products in Iran pointed out that in all studies that examined bread samples in traditional and industrial bakeries, the concentration of dithionate was zero and even much lower than the maximum permissible limits (10 ppm) in some cases.Moreover, the risk of exposure has been reported as negligible in all studies.Nonetheless, results from other studies assessing Blankit residues in sugar, sugar cubes, and rock candy samples in Iran indicated that Blankit exceeded the permissible limits in most cases.Conclusion: As evidenced by this study, effective control measures are essential for ongoing monitoring and assessment of blanching levels in food items, particularly in processed products such as sugar.Furthermore, the absence of critical research on the health risks associated with exposure to these products, based on the community's dietary pattern, underscores the need for such studies.