Ammonium carbonate

Ammonium carbonate (CAS 506-87-6), also known historically as salt of hartshorn and sal volatile, is an inorganic salt used industrially as a leavening agent, pH buffer, and catalyst precursor. Also known as E503(i).

Where is Ammonium carbonate used?

• Food manufacturing: chemical leavening agent for flat baked goods such as crackers, cookies, and traditional European confections, releasing gas cleanly without leaving a sodium residue.
• Pharmaceutical: pH-adjusting agent and buffering component in tablet and topical preparations.
• Personal care: alkalinity regulator in hair care and skin formulations where precise pH control affects product stability.
• Industrial synthesis: catalyst precursor whose thermal decomposition releases ammonia under controlled conditions.
• At temperatures from about 60 °C it decomposes into carbonic acid, ammonia and water.
• Edible grades are used in wine manufacture as a buffer, neutralizing agent, leavening agent, and fermentation promoter.

Formulation notes

• Average dosage is 5 grams per 500 grams of flour, according to the recipe.
• Use can increase the acrylamide content of baked goods, so bakeries and the baking industry largely avoid it for gingerbread and similar products.

Typical specification

• Concentration is at least 30.0% NH3.
• Insolubles are at most 0.005%.
• Heavy metals are at most 5 ppm by ICP-OES.

Regulatory status

• Not classified as dangerous for transport (ADR/IMDG/IATA not applicable, no UN number, no packing group).
• Only permitted for flat baked goods that are fully baked through, such as gingerbread and honey cake.
• Registered under REACH.

Storage, packaging and handling

• Decomposes rapidly at 58°C, decomposes slowly at ambient temperatures, and is unstable to light and heat.
• Should be stored cool, below 38°C, in a ventilated, low-temperature, dry area.

Frequently asked questions about Ammonium carbonate

How should the material be prepared before use in baking or other applications?

It should be dissolved in liquid such as water before use to ensure even distribution in the formulation.

What regulatory listings apply to ammonium carbonate in the United States?

It is listed under FDA 21 CFR 184.1137 and 582.1137 for food use in the US.

Which pharmacopoeial and analytical grades of ammonium carbonate are available on the market?

A grade meeting analytical specifications of NF, Ph. Franc., and FCC is available, and it is also sold in USP/EP/BP grades.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.