Azodicarbonamide

A plastic product that is used to make yoga mats, shoe soles and other synthetic rubber products is also found in food as well. Azodicarbonamide, despite its ban in the food production in Europe and Australia, is used as an improving agent in baked goods. It can be found in the breads, croissants, buns, bagels and other baked products at the fast food restaurants of McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s, Subway, Arby’s, Jack in the Box, Chick-fil-A, and Dunken' Donuts. In the United States and Canada, the use of Azodicarbonamide is permitted to levels of 45 ppm (parts per million). So yes, this is a very dilute concentration of Azodicarbonamide, but it was banned in Europe and Australia because of its links in causing respiratory illnesses among workers that were exposed to the plastic chemical agent.   

An activist and food blogger by the name of Vani Hari (see photo above) petitioned and received over 50,000 signatures for Subway to remove Azodicarbonamide from their foods. Subway agreed but the injustice is not over. Others in the fast food industry have not agreed to remove the plastic chemical from their foods and it is also found, at times, in the take-and-bake breads found at local supermarkets. Many consumers are unaware that they are being exposed to Azodicarbonamide (and other food additives that are also dangerous in the long term). The pervasive use of Azodicarbonamide in foods, and the corporate practice of adding harmful agents into foods in order to ensure longer shelf life, appealing flavors, colors or textures, must end or at least, have greater transparency for those purchasing the foods to make a choice.