Potassium bromate is used as a laboratory reagent and analytical standard and in some countries it has also been used as a flour treatment agent although its use in food is banned or restricted in many regions because of safety concerns.

Its purpose is to act as a strong oxidizing agent making it useful in analytical chemistry and certain industrial processes that require oxidation reactions.

Potassium bromate is a white crystalline water-soluble inorganic compound with strong oxidizing properties that must be handled carefully because it is classified as a substance that may cause cancer in humans and poses health hazards if ingested or improperly handled.