A measure of how bleached a flour is, quantifying the whiteness achieved through bleaching treatments. Flour bleaching, using agents such as benzoyl peroxide or chlorine dioxide where permitted, oxidizes the natural yellow carotenoid pigments and matures the gluten-forming proteins faster than natural aging. The bleach figure expresses the result numerically, allowing millers to standardize whiteness for customers who expect bright white flour and consistent baking performance. The practice is controversial: the European Union bans flour bleaching, considering it an unnecessary chemical treatment, while it remains common in North America. Whether bleached or unbleached, flour’s nutritional value is essentially identical; the difference is cosmetic and functional, a reminder that much of food processing serves expectations as well as needs.