Subway Chain Will Stop Putting a Chemical Used in Rubber in Its Bread

That footlong loaf baking in your local Subway’s oven could contain an ingredient called azodicarbonamide. It’s an additive the U.S. Food and Drug Administration permits for use in restricted amounts to strengthen dough and to increase the shelf life of bread, and as a bleaching ingredient in cereal flour—it also happens to be used in plastics and rubber. After a petition launched this week, the ubiquitous sandwich chain announced on Wednesday that it will stop using the additive, though it did not say when.

Azodicarbonamide—banned from use in food in Europe and Australia—is used in the U.S. in Subway’s 9-grain wheat bread, Italian bread, and sourdough bread [PDF]. In Canada it’s in deli-style rolls and Italian bread [PDF]. It can also be found in buns at other restaurant chains and in some grocery aisle breads.