This Arby's Bread Ingredient Is Banned In The EU

When a fast food joint serves you a meal, you assume the ingredients are above board and safe to consume. So we were surprised to find azodicarbonamide in Arby's bread since this chemical is banned in the EU.

Azodicarbonamide (ADA) is found in Arby's croissants and sourdough breakfast bread, two of the four bread options for breakfast sandwiches. This chemical is used as a dough conditioner and is approved by the FDA, but it's thought to be carcinogenic. While research points in that direction, the FDA felt it wasn't enough to classify ADA as a known carcinogen. However, the EU didn't want to take the risk, banning the substance in food and plastic food packaging in 2005.

We have good news if you prefer not to gamble with your health. ADA isn't necessary to make bread, and the rest of Arby's sandwiches are free of this controversial ingredient. So if you're debating what to order, check out our ranking of the best and worst Arby's sandwiches (all made on ADA-free bread). But if you're craving Arby's breakfast sandwiches on croissants or sourdough, it's important to understand the science behind this ingredient.

It's common for people to default to the FDA's guidance, but many experts disagree with the organization's take on azodicarbonamide. In a Guardian article focused on ADA, Lisa Lefferts, senior scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, asserted, "The system for ensuring that ingredients added to food are safe is broken." She further noted that once the FDA gives its stamp of approval, it rarely reassesses these decisions. Mind you, the FDA did ban red dye No. 3 in 2025, giving us hope that it will continue to assess safety risks. However, ADA remains in the U.S. food supply for now, particularly in bread products and cereals.

When it's heated or baked, ADA produces two chemicals: urethane and semicarbazide (SEM). The World Health Organization classifies urethane as a 2A risk, meaning it's "probably carcinogenic to humans." Meanwhile, the FDA admits that SEM was linked to cancer in mice, but it maintains it's not present in large enough quantities in food to impact humans. However, Ryan Marino, an emergency medical toxicologist at the University of Pittsburgh, challenged this reasoning, stating to the Guardian, "If [an additive] really is a carcinogen in humans, then no amount would be considered 'safe.'"

While the FDA may take an innocent-until-proven-guilty stance, other countries and even individual states have adopted stricter approaches. Several countries have effectively banned drinks, including Gatorade and Mountain Dew, for containing harmful additives. California has also banned several food additives, including potassium bromate and propylparaban. One day, we may see ADA added to these lists.