Flour bleaching agent is the agent added to fresh milled grains to whiten the flour by removing the yellow colour pigment called xanthophyll.
Usual flour bleaching agents are: Use of chlorine, bromates, and peroxides is not allowed in the European Union.
[1] Bleached flour improves the structure-forming capacity, allowing the use of dough formulas with lower proportions of flour and higher proportions of sugar [citation needed].
In biscuit making, use of chlorinated flour reduces the spread of the dough, and provides a "tighter" surface.
This improves the final texture of baked goods made to recipes intended for bleached flours.