What is MAIDA? What does it contain? is it safe for human consumption?Let us see in detail what maida actually means. Every time you hear maida you brain is filled with sweets and savories but what it is made up of? have you ever tried to think or find how its made? 

This is Maida-Organic peroxides,benzoyl peroxide,Calcium peroxide,Nitrogen dioxideChlorine,Chlorine dioxide,Azodicarbonamide,Atmospheric oxygen ,gluten,alloxan…….!!!!!!

I shall tell you what these things do to you down the lane……!!!!!                           HAPPY READING……….

Maida is a wheat flour from India. Finely milled without any bran, refined & bleached. The term maida is common in southern India; theequivalent term in northern India is safedatta, literally "white flour", though maida is not uncommon in the north Indiaeither.Maida is made from the endosperm (the starchy white part) of the grain. The bran isseparated from the germ and endosperm which is then refined by passing througha sieve of 80 mesh per inch (31 mesh per centimeter). Although naturallyyellowish due to pigments present in wheat, maida is typicallybleached, either naturally due to atmospheric oxygen, or with any of a numberof flourbleaching agentsUsual bleaching agentsare:

1)   Organicperoxides, namely benzoylperoxide -Benzoyl peroxide and hydrogen peroxide are used as bleaching and "maturing" agents for treating flour to make its grain release gluten more easily; the alternative is letting the flour slowly oxidize by air, which is too slow for the industrialized era.

2)    Benzoyl peroxide is an effective topical medication for treating most forms of acne.

 3)   Calcium peroxide - Calciumperoxide or calcium dioxide is the inorganic compound withthe formula CaO2. It is the peroxide (O2−) salt of Ca2+.Commercial samples can be yellowish, but the pure compound is white. It isalmost insoluble in water. It is mainly used as an oxidant to enhance the extraction of precious metals from their ores. In its second main application,it is used as a food additive underthe E number E930it is used as flour bleaching agent and improving agent.

4)   Nitrogendioxide - On migrating to the bloodstream, nitrogen dioxide poisoning results in an irreversible inhibition of the erythrocite membrane acetyl cholinesterase which may lead to muscular paralysis, convulsions, broncho constriction, the narrowing of the airways in the lungs(bronchi and bronchioles) and death by asphyxiation. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide have a significant effects on male reproductive system by inhibiting the production of Sertoli cell, a "nurse" cell of the testicles that is part of a seminiferous tubule and helps in the process of spermatogenesis.

5)   Chlorine- Chlorine is a toxic gas that attacks the respiratory system,eyes, and skin

6)    Chlorine dioxide - Chlorine dioxide is sometimes used for bleaching of wood pulp in combination with chlorine, but it is used alone in ECF (elemental chlorine-free) bleaching sequences.

7)   Azodicarbonamide - One ofthe breakdown products, derived from the original substance, is calledurethane, a recognized carcinogen, the organization says. Usingazodicarbonamide at maximum allowable levels results in higher levels of urethanein bread "that pose a small risk to humans," CSPI said

8)   Atmospheric oxygen,used during natural aging of flour

9)   Gluten (from Latin gluten,"glue") is a composite of storage proteins termed prolamins and glutelins foundin wheat and related grains, including barley, rye, oat, and all their species and hybrids (such as spelt, khorasan, emmer, einkorn, triticale, etc.). Gluten is appreciated for its visco elastic properties. It gives elasticity to dough, helping it rise and keep its shape and often gives the final product a chewy texture.

Use of chlorine, bromates,and peroxides isnot allowed in the European Union

10)         Alloxan-here comes the culprit.

Alloxan is a toxic glucose analogue, which selectively destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas (that is beta cells)when administered to rodents and many other animal species. Alloxan is selectively toxic to insulin-producing pancreatic betacells because it preferentially accumulates in beta cells through uptake viathe GLUT2 glucose transporter. Alloxan, in thepresence of intracellular thiols, generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a cyclic reaction with its reduction product, dialuric acid. The beta cell toxic action of alloxan is initiated by free radicals formed in this redox reaction. Impact upon beta cells Because it selectively kills the insulin-producing beta-cells found in the pancreas, alloxan is used to induce diabetes in laboratory animals. This occurs most likely because of selective uptake of the compound due to its structural similarity to glucose as well as the beta-cell's highly efficient uptake mechanism (GLUT2). In addition, alloxan has a high affinity to SH-containing cellular compounds and, as a result, reduces glutathione content.Furthermore, alloxan inhibits glucokinase, a SH-containing protein essential for insulin secretion induced by glucose.

So friends so now youknow what exactly maida means…!

Organic peroxides benzoyl peroxideCalcium peroxideNitrogen dioxideChlorineChlorine dioxideAzodicarbonamideAtmospheric oxygen glutenalloxan…….!!!!!!! 

MAIDA IS