We Need To Know More Than It Is Used In Yoga Mats

I’ve heard a lot recently regarding people freaking out on Subway for including a chemical (Azodicarbonamide) in their bread because this chemical is also used in making yoga mats. People seemed to think the fact that Azodicarbonamide was also used in making yoga mats was all they needed to know and demanded it be removed. I can understand somewhat, since yoga mats are generally not edible or at least considered food, but it seemed like that should only be the start of the inquiry.

After all, though yoga mats themselves aren’t food, the mere fact that something goes into a yoga mat does not immediately make that something unfit to be included in food. It raises concerns for me and I think we should then look at what the something is and whether or not we should be eating it, but the mere fact that it is included in yoga mats isn’t enough entirely on its own.

What if it is a perfectly edible something that just happens to be used in making yoga mats? Is this guilt by association?

I was only speculating about this, but someone apparently found yoga mats that included soy. Soy is clearly food. Are we going to stop eating soy simply because it is used to make yoga mats? The rational above would seem to suggest that.

Now, I’m not saying that we should be eating Azodicarbonamide or that it is safe to do so. I don’t know enough to be certain one way or the other. However, I just think that the fact it is used in making yoga mats isn’t immediately dispositive. The fact that it is used in making something that isn’t edible should just trigger us to investigate.

Of course, I’m sure the people actually starting the outcry didn’t stop there. I’m sure this is just the little fact they distributed to the masses to get ire going, assuming that most people wouldn’t sit still for the big explanation for why Azodicarbonamide shouldn’t be in bread. Still, don’t hate something just because someone makes a mat out of it.