My diet:

Enriched flour

No E-numberFlour treatment agentsOrigin: Plant
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Every diet

VeganYes
Gluten-freeNo

Enriched flour is wheat flour and contains gluten.

HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoNo

Enriched flour is mostly starch, so it is not keto.

Low-FODMAPNo

Wheat flour is high in fructans.

The short answer
Enriched flour is white wheat flour with B vitamins and iron added back after milling. It contains gluten, it raises blood sugar, and it is a staple food rather than a controversial chemical.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant
What it doesFlour treatment agents
Glycemic index71
Daily limitNot set
Also calledEnriched flour, Enriched wheat flour

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDAApproved
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaApproved
CaliforniaNo extra rules

In the US, enriched flour is a standardized food: the vitamins and iron that must be added are set in 21 CFR 137.165. Canada has its own enrichment rules. Europe treats white wheat flour as a food and does not use the American enrichment recipe, which is why it is listed as not evaluated as an additive.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

Roller mills strip the bran and germ to make a soft white flour, and with them go much of the thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, iron and folate. Enrichment puts those nutrients back so the flour matches a legal recipe. The label then lists them in parentheses.

Where it comes from: Enriched flour is wheat flour with the bran and germ milled off, then thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid and iron added back. It is the flour itself, not a dough conditioner.

Why it’s in food

  • Makes a soft white crumb
  • Restores B vitamins
  • Adds iron and folate
  • Feeds yeast in bread

Often found in

Sandwich breadPastaCrackersCookiesTortillasPizza dough

Also listed as: Enriched flour, Enriched wheat flour, Enriched white flour

Health & gut impact

FolateBenefit

Folic acid in enriched flour is a public-health tool. It lowered neural-tube defects after the US required it in enriched grain.

CDC report on folic acid fortification

Blood sugarConcern

White enriched flour is rapidly digested starch, with a glycemic index around 70, so it raises blood glucose much as sugar does.

Atkinson et al., international glycemic index tables

Flours for a different loaf

For your pantry
Pantry staple

Whole wheat flour

Still wheat, with the bran left in.

Shop whole wheat flour Opens your country’s Amazon store
Pantry staple

Gluten-free flour blend

A cup-for-cup blend when gluten is the problem.

Shop gluten-free flour Opens your country’s Amazon store
Pantry staple

Almond flour

A low-carb bake, with its own ratios.

Shop almond flour Opens your country’s Amazon store

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What can I use instead?

Whole wheat flour

Ratio: Not always 1:1

Best for: More fiber, still gluten

Certified gluten-free flour blend

Ratio: Follow the blend's ratio

Best for: Gluten-free baking

Related

More flour treatment agents:

Azodicarbonamide (ADA) E927aAzodicarbonamide (ADA, E927a) is a dough conditioner that's banned in the EU but still legal in US bread. Baking turns some of it into semicarbazide, a possible carcinogen, so it's one to avoid.Best to avoidBenzoyl peroxide E928Benzoyl peroxide (E928) bleaches flour white overnight. It's legal in the US and Canada but banned in the EU, and it destroys some of the vitamin E in flour. It's not on the label in most cases.Use in moderationCalcium sulfate E516Calcium sulfate (E516) is purified gypsum. It sets many Chinese-style tofus, feeds yeast and carries other ingredients. It is a mineral considered safe in food.Generally safeL-Cysteine E920L-cysteine (E920) softens dough in bagels and pizza crust. It's often made from duck feathers or pig hair, so it's only reliably vegan or halal when certified.Use in moderation

Common questions

Is enriched flour bleached?

Not always. Enriched means vitamins and iron were added. Bleached is a separate step, and the label says so when it happens.

Is Enriched flour safe?

Use in moderation (66/100). In the US, enriched flour is a standardized food: the vitamins and iron that must be added are set in 21 CFR 137.165. Canada has its own enrichment rules. Europe treats white wheat flour as a food and does not use the American enrichment recipe, which is why it is listed as not evaluated as an additive.

Is Enriched flour gluten-free?

No. Enriched flour is wheat flour and contains gluten.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • 21 CFR 137.165 (US FDA)
  • CDC report on folic acid fortification
  • Atkinson et al., international glycemic index tables