Nearly 500 foods on grocery store shelves in the United
States, including foods labeled as “healthy,” contain a potentially harmful
industrial plastic chemical. A report by
the Environmental Working Group concluded that Azodicarbonamide, also known as
ADA was found in various found bread products including tortillas, bagels,
hamburger buns and pastries and other food products.
Although fully approved for use in food by the United States
Food and Drug Administration and the Candadian Food Inspection Agency, ADA is
banned as an additive in Australia and
some European countries.
Azodicarbonamide is used by bakers as a flour bleaching
agent and as an oxidizing agent in dough to improve its performance. In
addition to being food additive, it also used in plastics to improve elasticity
and can be found in yoga mats and shoes.
According to the World Health Organization, epidemiological
studies in humans and other reports have produced "abundant evidence that
azodicarbonamide can induce asthma, other respiratory symptoms, and skin
sensitization" to people working with the chemical.
Currently, the FDA states that azodicarbonamide can be used
safely if the amount in flour does not exceed 2.05 grams per 100 pounds of
flour or 45 parts per million. However,
the Environmental Working Group states that manufacturers should immediately
end the use of ADA in food altogether. This past month U.S. Senator Charles Schumer this
called on the FDA to ban ADA from foods.
