Phew! Subway confirms no shoe rubber chemical used in Indian breads

With the increasing focus on healthy eating, while McDonalds and KFC are seen at the unhealthy end of the fast food spectrum, Subway with fresh veggies, and a focus on fat-free meals is seen as a healthy fast food option all over the world.

So when FoodBabe.com blogger Vani Hari started an online petition stating that Subway in the United States was using Azodicarbonamide, a chemical used to make yoga mats and shoe rubber in many of its breads, all hell broke loose. Hari alleged that Azodicarbonamide is linked to respiratory issues, allergies and asthma. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits the chemical in small amounts to strengthen dough and to increase the shelf life of bread. Incidentally, the chemical is banned for use in food in the EU, UK and Australia.

In her blog, Hari claims that what got her goat was when Michelle Obama, the first lady of the US endorsed Subway, saying every single item on the kid’s menu met the “highest nutrition standards.”

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[caption id=“attachment_76248” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Subway in the United States was using Azodicarbonamide, a chemical used to make yoga mats and shoe rubber in many of its breads. Reuters[/caption]

Thanks to Hari’s petition, the chain quickly said that it would stop using Azodicarbonamide from bread in the US, though it did not specify a deadline.

With weak Indian food laws that are often even blatantly ignored even if they exist on paper, we were wondering if Subway used Azodicarbonamide in bread in India. However, we can all breathe easy now as Subway India has confirmed to firstbiz that Azodicarbonamide is not present in any Subway bread in India.

“While it is fully approved by the relevant government authorities in the US, this particular ingredient is already in the process of being removed from the US breads. This is being done as part of the bread improvement plan,” said a Subway India official spokesperson.

So, you can happily bite into a Subway sandwich in India without worrying about you also partaking of chemicals used in shoe rubber at the same time, though you may want to give Subway breads a miss in the US, if you’re worried about these things. Though if you take Hari’s advice, Azodicarbonamide is not the only worry when it comes to eating Subway sandwiches.