Ammonium and sodium carbonates

Synonyms: ammonium and sodium carbonates

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Ammonium and sodium carbonates are common baking ingredients that help doughs and batters rise and control acidity. They are widely used in cookies, crackers, wafers, and many other baked foods for light texture and a clean, crisp bite. This page explains how they work, where they appear, how they’re made, and what regulators say about their safety.

At a glance

These carbonates are everyday leavening and pH-controlling agents you’ll see on labels.

What they are: a family that includes baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), sodium carbonate, sodium sesquicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, and ammonium carbonate.
What they do: release gas to make foods rise; adjust acidity (pH) to fine‑tune taste, color, and texture.
Where they’re used: biscuits, cookies, crackers, wafer sheets, pretzels, pancakes and batter-coated snacks; also in some confectionery.
Label clues: EU labels may show “E500” (sodium carbonates) or “E503” (ammonium carbonates). U.S. labels show names like “sodium bicarbonate” or “ammonium bicarbonate.”
Safety: regulated and considered safe at normal use levels when used under good manufacturing practice.

Why is Ammonium and sodium carbonates added to food?

These ingredients act as raising agents and acidity regulators. In wet doughs and batters, bicarbonates react with an acid to release carbon dioxide gas, expanding bubbles that make baked goods light and open. Ammonium salts also break down when heated, giving off carbon dioxide and a small amount of ammonia that escapes in the oven. The result is lift, a drier crumb, and a crisp, snappy texture in low‑moisture items. They also raise pH, which can boost browning and change flavor balance.

What foods contain Ammonium and sodium carbonates?

You’ll find one or more of these carbonates in:

Cookies and biscuits (including thin, crisp styles)
Crackers and wafer sheets
Pretzels and certain breads
Pancakes, waffles, and quick breads
Batter-coated snacks and some confectionery
“Baking powder” blends, which typically include sodium bicarbonate plus one or more acid salts such as monocalcium phosphate, disodium diphosphate, or sodium aluminium phosphate

What can replace Ammonium and sodium carbonates?

Substitutes depend on the recipe and the texture you want.

For general leavening: use a balanced baking powder system (for example, sodium bicarbonate paired with citric acid, monocalcium phosphate, disodium diphosphate, or glucono‑delta‑lactone).
For very crisp, dry cookies: ammonium bicarbonate is hard to match, but careful formulation with baking powder and low moisture can get close.
For low‑sodium formulas: potassium bicarbonate (not always listed on labels) is sometimes used in place of sodium bicarbonate; it may need a flavor adjustment.
Non-chemical options: yeast fermentation, steam (in choux/puff pastries), or mechanical aeration (whipping) in suitable products.

How is Ammonium and sodium carbonates made?

Production follows well-established mineral and gas‑reaction routes.

Sodium carbonates: made by refining natural soda ash (trona) or via the Solvay process; sodium bicarbonate is formed by carbonating soda ash solutions with carbon dioxide and then crystallizing the bicarbonate.¹
Ammonium salts: ammonium bicarbonate is produced by reacting ammonia with carbon dioxide in water; ammonium carbonate is closely related and may be obtained from similar ammonia–carbon dioxide reactions, yielding a mixture that liberates ammonia and carbon dioxide when heated.²³

Is Ammonium and sodium carbonates safe to eat?

Regulators in the EU re-evaluated sodium and ammonium carbonates and concluded that their use as food additives does not raise a safety concern at reported exposure levels; an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) was not considered necessary.⁴ In the United States, several members of this group—sodium bicarbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, and ammonium carbonate—are affirmed as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) when used in accordance with good manufacturing practice.⁵²³

Does Ammonium and sodium carbonates have any benefits?

For bakers and manufacturers, these ingredients are reliable, inexpensive, and predictable. They deliver lift without fermentation, help control pH and browning, adjust crunchiness by driving off moisture during baking, and support uniform texture across large batches.

Who should avoid Ammonium and sodium carbonates?

Most people don’t need to avoid them. However:

If you are on a strict low‑sodium diet, be aware that sodium carbonates add sodium to foods. Health agencies recommend limiting total sodium intake, so check labels and overall diet.⁶
If you dislike the smell of “baker’s ammonia,” choose products formulated without ammonium carbonates; the odor dissipates during baking, but sensitive noses may still notice it in under‑baked items.

Myths & facts

Myth: “Ammonium carbonates leave harmful ammonia in food.” Fact: In low‑moisture baked goods, the ammonia driven off in the oven disperses, leaving the finished product without residual ammonia; safety evaluations found no concern at typical uses.⁴
Myth: “Baking soda and baking powder are the same.” Fact: Baking soda is just sodium bicarbonate. Baking powder combines it with one or more acid salts to create a complete leavening system.
Myth: “These additives are purely synthetic.” Fact: Sodium carbonates are often refined from natural mineral deposits (trona) as well as made by industrial processes.¹