Subway says the ingredient dubbed the "yoga mat chemical" will be entirely phased out of its bread by next week, reflecting the greater scrutiny food labels are receiving.
The ingredient, azodicarbonamide, is approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration and widely used in a variety of products including at Burger King and breads sold in supermarkets. But the food blogger who petitioned Subway to remove the ingredient, Vani Hari, said she targeted the chain because of its image of serving fresh food.
Subway isn't the only company to make a change in response to consumer feedback. Here are some recent examples of recipe changes by major food makers:
— Starbucks removed cochineal extract, a red dye made from crushed bugs, from its food and drinks after an online petition.
— PepsiCo removed brominated vegetable oil from Gatorade. An online petition had noted the ingredient's link to flame retardants.
— Kraft Foods says it will reformulate select varieties of its macaroni and cheese next year to use natural colors.
— Chick-fil-A has been removing artificial dyes and high-fructose corn syrup from dressings and sauces. The chain is also switching to chicken raised without antibiotics.