Molecular model of azodicarbonamide. Carbon: gray; Hydrogen: yellow; Nitrogen: blue; Oxygen: red. Azodicarbonamide is used as a food additive, a flour bleaching (oxidizing) agent, which is stable during baking. Semicarbazide and ethyl carbamate are secondary products. In the USA and Canada, azodicarbonamide is permitted at levels up to 45 ppm. but in Australia and Europe it is banned as a food additive. The principal use of azodicarbonamide is as an additive in the production of foamed plastics. On thermal decomposition, azodicarbonamide turns into nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and ammonia gases, which are trapped in the polymer as bubbles to form foamed plastic. Other additives reduce the decomposition temperature from 200簞C to 170簞C. In Europe, it has been banned since August 2005 for the manufacture of plastic articles that are intended to come into direct contact with food. In the United States, azodicarbonamide is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and is allowed to be added to flour. Molecular formula C2 H4 N4 O2.Molar mass 116.08 g/mol.