Ingredient Index · E927a

Is Azodicarbonamide banned in Europe?

Banned in EU

Yes: azodicarbonamide is prohibited as a food additive in the EU, while the FDA still permits it as a dough conditioner in US flour at up to 45 parts per million.

E-number: E927aCAS: 123-77-3 Also seen as: ADA, E927a

What the EU does

Banned. Azodicarbonamide holds no authorization under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, and the EU prohibited its use in food contact and dough applications years before the additive went viral in the US. The EU also classifies it as a respiratory sensitizer: it can cause asthma in workers who inhale it occupationally.

The food-safety concern is what it becomes: during baking, ADA partially breaks down into semicarbazide and, under some conditions, urethane, both flagged in carcinogenicity studies. The EU position is that a dough whitener with that breakdown profile doesn't earn a place on the positive list.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 (E927a not authorized)

What the US does

Legal. The FDA permits azodicarbonamide as a bleaching agent and dough conditioner at up to 45 ppm in flour under 21 CFR 172.806, and maintains that exposure at that level is safe.

The cultural moment came in 2014, when a viral petition pointed out ADA also appears in yoga mats and shoe soles (true of many food-grade chemicals, but vivid). Subway removed it that year; many commercial bakeries followed. It still appears in plenty of US breads, buns, and frozen doughs.

Citation 21 CFR 172.806 (azodicarbonamide, max 45 ppm in flour)

Products that commonly contain it

ADA whitens flour and strengthens dough. In the US it can appear in:

Commercial sandwich breads and hamburger buns
Frozen pizza dough and ready-to-bake products
Fast-food and restaurant-supply breads
Croutons and pre-made stuffing

What to look for on a label

Labeling is required, so the ingredient list tells the truth:

"Azodicarbonamide" in the ingredient list, usually near the flour
On restaurant bread there's no label; chains' published ingredient PDFs are the workaround
"Unbleached flour" breads generally avoid it

Or skip the squinting: paste the whole ingredient list into our checker and it flags everything in our database. Nothing you paste leaves your browser.

Frequently asked questions

Is azodicarbonamide banned in Europe?

Yes. It is not authorized under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, so it cannot be used in EU food. The EU also classifies it as an occupational respiratory sensitizer.

Is azodicarbonamide legal in the United States?

Yes. The FDA permits it in flour at up to 45 ppm under 21 CFR 172.806 as a bleaching agent and dough conditioner.

Is the "yoga mat chemical" claim true?

Partially. ADA really is used as a foaming agent in yoga mats and shoe soles. That fact alone says little about food safety; the legitimate concern is its baking breakdown products, semicarbazide and urethane.

Did Subway remove azodicarbonamide?

Yes, in 2014, after a high-profile petition. Many large US bakeries followed voluntarily, but ADA remains legal and present in many commercial breads.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 10, 2026 · How we assign statuses