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Azodicarbonamide
Azodicarbonamide
Azodicarbonamide
What is it:
Azodicarbonamide (ADA) is a food additive that has been used to improve the texture, appearance, and shelf life of baked goods. It acts as a dough conditioner and whitening agent, enhancing the elasticity and volume of bread and other baked products while providing a desirable white color. ADA is produced through a multistep synthesis process involving the reaction of urea and hydrazine sulfate reaction, followed by oxidation, resulting in a yellow-to-orange crystalline powder.
Rating:
When heated, ADA is known to break down into semicarbazide (SEM) and urethrane, which is “reasonably anticipated” to be a carcinogen according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SEM has shown toxicity in animal studies, but not in humans. Because of these compounds, ADA is banned in the European Union. While the amounts of ADA occurring in foods is low and considered “safe” according to the FDA, caution should be used with consuming anything that can break down into a carcinogen.
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How we rate ingredients
Health is like a bank account, certain ingredients make a deposit into your health bank, meaning they add to
your health. Certain ingredients withdraw from your health bank. We want health promoting ingredients in our diet. To keep things simple, we rate ingredients on a green, yellow, red scale:
Clean
It is naturally occurring in food and has no harmful effects on the body. It is real food. It is health promoting.
Caution
It goes into one or more of the below categories
- It is not naturally occurring in food but doesn’t have data showing it has a harmful effect on the body (additives like Gellan Gum)
- It is naturally occurring but can have some harmful effects on the body (added sugars, oils, gums etc.)
We Avoid
It is known to have a harmful effect on the body (ex. All food colorings, Natural Flavors, MSG, Potassium bromate, aspartame, artificial flavors)
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