Up to millions of UK citizens are being exposed to potentially dangerous chemicals in bread, a report has warned.

Levels of pesticides in white and brown loaves have almost doubled in the past decade and, although present in small amounts, experts are claiming the chemicals can build up in the body over time.

The Pesticides In Your Daily Bread report revealed the residues are present in two-thirds of products on the UK market.

Author Nick Mole said the presence of pesticide residues is not something anybody should welcome.

“We are in effect being poisoned against our will with the full knowledge of the growers, retailers and regulatory bodies that provide our food or are tasked with making sure it is safe,” he said.

The report names pesticides glyphosate and chlormequat as the most common contaminants in bread.

It claims glyphosate is linked to cancer, birth defects and neurological disease such as Parkinson’s and says some countries are considering banning it.

The report is based on figures published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). However, a DEFRA spokeswoman said there is no human health risk from pesticide residues in bread.

“The reported rise in findings is due
to our ability to test at lower levels,” she said.