E503; Ammonium Carbonates

(in 593 products)

1. Acidity Regulator / Buffering Agent - Changes or maintains the acidity or basicity of food/cosmetics.

2. Insecticide / Pesticide - Kills or inhibits unwanted organisms

3. Leavening / Raising Agent - Causes or forms gas bubbles in food

Ammonium carbonate is used as a leavening agent and also as smelling salt. It is also known as baker's ammonia and was a predecessor to the more modern leavening agents baking soda and baking powder. It also serves as an acidity regulator and has the E number E503. It can be replaced with baking powder, but this may affect both the taste and texture of the finished product. Baker's ammonia should be used to create thin dry baked goods like crackers and cookies. This allows the strong ammonia smell to bake out. It should not be used to make moist baked items like cake since ammonia is hydrophilic and will leave a strong bitter taste.

It is approved to use as food additive in EU and generally recognized as safe food substance in US.

-Was once used as smelling salts, which is used to provoke consciousness, such as in knocked out boxers

-Can be used to bind phosphates to prevent environmental harm from the overuse of fertilizers

-Today, it has mostly been replaced with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to avoid the smell or bitter taste of ammonia

1. EU Approved Food Additive [2018]

- E503

2. US FDA Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) Food Substances (21 CFR 184) [2017]

- § 184.1137 - Ammonium carbonate