Dive Brief:
- Subway says it will stop using azodiacarbonamide as an ingredient in its bread. The chemical, which can add a chewy texture to baked goods, is also widely used in yoga mats and other rubber products.
- The move comes just days after popular food blogger Vani Hari called for the company that uses the slogan "Eat Fresh" to halt use of the ingredient.
- Azodiacarbonamide is banned in Western Europe and Australia, where health officials have linked its use to respiratory problems.
Dive Insight:
We have to congratulate Subway for responding quickly. This was a no-win situation for the chain. There is simply no way to justify the use of this chemical to consumers. And once the mainstream media noted the yoga mat angle in the story, things spiraled out of control quickly. There was something just too perfect about a story about people inadvertently eating the iconic image of health consciousness — the sticky mats carried by yoga practitioners.