Which one of the following statements about the use of potassium bromate in prepackaged bread in India is not correct?

Introduction / Context:
Food safety is a major public health concern, and regulators often respond to scientific studies that highlight harmful additives. Potassium bromate was used in some prepackaged breads as a flour improver, but it has been scrutinised for its possible harmful effects. This question asks which statement about potassium bromate and related regulatory action in India is not correct. To answer, you must know both the findings of food safety studies and the scientific classification of potassium bromate.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• A study by the Centre for Science and Environment reported that several bread brands tested positive for potassium bromate and potassium iodate.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued recommendations on this issue.
• The Union Government took regulatory action regarding potassium bromate as a food additive.
• Potassium bromate has a particular toxicological classification in scientific literature.

Concept / Approach:
The task is to identify which statement is factually incorrect. A sensible method is to recall the sequence of events. First, a non governmental organisation reported the presence of potassium bromate in bread. Then FSSAI examined the matter and recommended removal of potassium bromate from the list of permitted additives. Subsequently, the government accepted this recommendation and banned its use. Separately, potassium bromate is not mainly known as a neurotoxin; it is regarded as a possible human carcinogen. Therefore, you should compare each option with these facts and then pick the statement that misrepresents the nature of potassium bromate.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider Option A. It states that the Centre for Science and Environment found potassium bromate and potassium iodate in some bread brands. This is consistent with the widely reported study, so Option A is correct. Step 2: Consider Option B. FSSAI did recommend to the Health Ministry that potassium bromate should be removed from the list of permissible food additives. Therefore, Option B accurately reflects this recommendation. Step 3: Consider Option C. Following the recommendation and public concern, the Union Government banned the use of potassium bromate as a food additive. Hence, Option C is also correct. Step 4: Consider Option D. This calls potassium bromate a neurotoxin. In reality, it is considered a possible human carcinogen, associated mainly with cancer risk rather than with direct neurotoxicity. Therefore, this description is not correct. Step 5: Conclude that Option D is the only incorrect statement and is therefore the required answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by recalling that many news reports emphasised that potassium bromate was classified as a possible carcinogen by international agencies and that this classification prompted regulators to act, even though actual exposure levels through bread were still debated. There was no major discussion about neurotoxic effects such as damage to the nervous system. The policy action in India focused on the cancer risk, not on neurological problems. Checking each option against this memory reinforces that Options A, B and C describe real events and decisions, while Option D incorrectly labels the substance as a neurotoxin.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option A: Correctly summarises the findings of a non governmental organisation study, so it is not the incorrect statement being asked for.
• Option B: Accurately describes the role of FSSAI in recommending removal of potassium bromate from the list of permitted additives, so it is a true statement.
• Option C: Reflects the actual government action to ban potassium bromate as a food additive. Hence it is also correct.

Common Pitfalls:
A typical mistake is to focus on the regulatory steps and assume that one of them is exaggerated or incorrect, while overlooking the scientific classification of the chemical. Candidates may also confuse different types of toxicity terminology; for example, mistaking carcinogenic (cancer causing) for neurotoxic (damaging to the nervous system). Another pitfall is to assume that the rare sounding statement must be correct and that the simpler policy related statements are more likely to be wrong, which can lead to the wrong choice if you do not recall the health risk category accurately.

Final Answer:
The statement about potassium bromate that is not correct is Potassium bromate is a neurotoxin.