What method is used to bleach white flour?

• A. Exposing to small amounts of chlorine gas or benzoyl peroxide
• B. Exposure to ultraviolet light
• C. Boiling in water
• D. Adding sugar

Answer: (A)

Bleaching flour relies on oxidation by controlled chemical agents that break down the pigments giving flour its color. Exposing flour to small amounts of chlorine gas or benzoyl peroxide introduces oxidative reactions that whiten the flour and can also influence dough properties. Chlorine gas has long been used in flour bleaching, and benzoyl peroxide is a modern, common alternative that achieves the same whitening effect in a safe, controlled way within the milling process. Ultraviolet light wouldn’t reliably whiten flour in practice and isn’t used for this purpose; boiling in water would ruin the flour’s structure rather than whiten it, and adding sugar has no bleaching effect.