Azodicarbonamide – Dangers & Side Effects of Chemicals in Foods

Azodicarbonamide (E927), also known as “yoga mat,” is an odorless, orange chemical substance that is found in close to 500 food products.

It is manufactured through a reaction of urea and dihydrazine sulfate under high temperature and pressure, followed by oxidation with sodium hypochlorite (commonly used as a bleaching agent or a disinfectant).

ADA has non-food applications such as – electronics, photography, and an industrial chemical used to make shoe rubber, yoga mats, and synthetic leather.

It is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and approved by the FDA for use as a dough conditioner (to make it more elastic) in bread baking and as a whitening substance in cereal flour.

You can find it in bagels, bread, pizza, pastries, tortillas, hot dog and hamburger buns. In addition, it is approved for use as a blowing agent in sealing caps for food recipients, like the ketchup bottles.

Subway (the world’s largest fast-food franchise) even said that azodicarbonamide is “an extremely common bread ingredient that is fully approved and recognized as safe by the FDA.”

ADA must be declared in the statement of ingredients and can be added to flour at levels up to 45 ppm.

Since it is part of the flour making process, it is not always listed on food labels, but you can assume that it’s in most products made from white flour.

The Subway fast-food chain decided to remove ADA from its bread-making process.

Many bread products still contain this chemical or some other form of an agent to ensure flavor, consistency, and texture.

Europe, Singapore, and Australia restricted the use of ADA because this substance is considered to be a “respiratory sensitizer” that can cause asthmatic and other types of allergic reactions.

There are two chemicals that form when the bread is baked with ADA. One breakdown product, urethane, is a recognized carcinogen. When ADA is used at its highest admissible level, it leads to urethane in bread that acts as an adverse effect on humans.

The second product is semicarbazide, that caused cancers of the blood vessels and lungs in studies on mice, but poses a negligible risk to humans.

According to a WHO – World Health Organization report, regular occupational exposure to ADA can lead to allergies and asthma. Furthermore, the World Health Organization report notes many of those who developed respiratory complications and asthma experienced symptoms within just 3 months of exposure to this chemical.

More importantly, the World Health Organization report noted that physical exposure to ADA caused recurring dermatitis.

The World Health Organization report concluded – “The level of risk is uncertain, therefore, exposure levels to this chemical should be reduced as much as possible.”