Yoga mat chemical azodicarbonamide found in nearly 500 grocery store food items

"... azodicarbonamide (ADA) is found in about 500 different packaged foods, including breads, stuffings, croutons and other packaged baked goods, according to a report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit research and consumer advocacy organization.

... its use in the plastics and rubber industry, in products like yoga mats and flip-flops

ADA is banned in Europe and Australia and has been linked to respiratory issues and allergies by the World Health Organization, which cites studies of workers exposed to relatively high levels. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in foods at levels below 45 parts per million.

"One thing is clear: ADA is not food, as food has been defined for most of human history... "It is an industrial chemical added to bread for the convenience of industrial bakers.""