Azodicarbonamide (E927A): What It Is and Is It Safe?
Azodicarbonamide is an oxidising flour-improving and dough-strengthening agent, also used industrially as a plastics blowing agent. It is a recognised respiratory sensitiser that can cause occupational asthma, and it is banned as a flour-treatment food additive in the EU and UK. During baking it can form semicarbazide; EFSA assessed the trace levels involved and concluded the associated consumer cancer risk is very small.
- Category
- Flour Treatment Agent — Banned in EU/UK
- Typically used in
- Dough conditioner and flour improver (banned in EU/UK; permitted in the US up to 45 ppm).
- Regulatory status
- Banned as a food additive in the EU/UK; a respiratory sensitiser and REACH Substance of Very High Concern; permitted in the US within limits.
- Concerns flagged
-
Possible allergen
Scrannr flags Azodicarbonamide automatically when you scan a barcode.
Where this comes from
- EFSA (2005) — EFSA publishes further evaluation on semicarbazide in food https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/news/efsa-publishes-further-evaluation-semicarbazide-food
Products containing Azodicarbonamide
We're building product pages that show real UK products containing Azodicarbonamide, using Open Food Facts data. They'll appear here soon — in the meantime, scan any barcode with the Scrannr app to check for it instantly.
Let Scrannr read the label.
Scan a barcode and get the additives flagged in plain English, plus a clear health score. Free to download.