Additive E503 (ammonium carbonate) is an ammonium salt of carbonic acid. In everyday life, it became widespread as ammonia. In appearance, these are colorless crystals, readily soluble in water. Molecular formula of the substance: (NH 4) 2 CO 3. This is a very unstable connection. In air, already at room temperature, a chemical oxidation reaction begins to occur with the release of toxic ammonia gas and the transformation of the substance into ammonium bicarbonate (NH 4 HCO 3). Above 60 ° C, ammonium carbonate decomposes into water (H 2 O), carbon dioxide (CO 2) and ammonia (NH 3). Due to the release of gases during the decomposition of the E503 additive, it is used in the food industry. The main application is the use of ammonium carbonates in the confectionery and bakery industry instead of yeast.

For the first time, ammonium carbonate was obtained from nitrogenous organic products (horns, hair, nails) by distillation at high temperatures. Nowadays, in industry, ammonium carbonate is obtained by heating a mixture of ammonium chloride (NH 4 Cl) or by the reverse decomposition reaction: the interaction of ammonia and carbon dioxide with water with rapid cooling.

According to some information found on the Internet, the additive is classified as hazardous to human health. Perhaps these rumors are associated with the high toxicity of ammonia, formed during the decomposition of ammonium carbonate. However, as seen above, during the chemical reaction (during the preparation of the product), carbon dioxide and ammonia evaporate, and only water remains in the finished product from the original ammonium carbonate. So the additive can be considered harmful to human health only in its initial state. The use of ammonium salts (food additive E503) is permitted in almost all countries. Studies by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) have shown that E503 supplement is harmless to human health.

In the food industry, ammonium carbonate as an additive E503 is used instead of soda or yeast in the confectionery and bakery industries. The main products in which ammonium carbonates are used: various types of cookies, bagels, cakes, bakery products.

In the countries of northern Europe and Scandinavia, ammonium carbonate has long been used for baking specialty biscuits. For example, when baking Icelandic puffed cookies, only ammonium carbonate is used. If you replace it with soda or yeast, the original cookie will no longer work.

Also ammonium carbonate is used:

• in medicines (cough syrups, ammonia, etc.);
• as a fermentation accelerator in wine production;
• as a component of fire extinguishing compositions
• in cosmetics as dyes

Cooking uses a wide variety of natural and chemical food additives to improve the taste of foods and to shorten cooking times. These additives include ammonium carbonate (food additive E-503), which is widely used in the manufacture of dough confectionery.

Ammonium carbonate or ammonium carbonate is a colorless crystalline product, soluble in water. Dense, hard salt lumps break up into crumbly small pieces. Decomposes at high temperatures. This substance is used as a leavening agent for dough, like an analogue of yeast. It is added to flour when baking pies, muffins, cookies, bagels, buns, etc.

How is ammonium carbonate used in cooking, is there any harm from it or not, or maybe there is some benefit? Let's talk about it:

Cooking applications

As we have already mentioned, the E-503 additive is widely used by the food industry as an analogue of soda or yeast. Ammonium is used in bakery and confectionery, as it significantly speeds up the production process. It is often included in baking powder.

As a leavening agent, this additive is added to the dough, increasing its volume, providing a porous cut. All this ensures an excellent quality of the manufactured product.

The crystals are finely broken up just before baking, dissolved in water, mixed with flour. The dough is kneaded, the desired products are formed, and then baked. Ammonium acts like other leavening agents: when mixed with water and flour, it emits ammonia and carbon dioxide, which loosen the dough. The finished products are very tasty, delicate and beautiful.

In addition, this additive is used in the pharmaceutical industry in the manufacture of certain drugs, such as cough syrups. Quite often, the additive is used in industrial winemaking to accelerate the fermentation of a wine drink.

In cooking, ammonium carbonate is used only very pure, which does not come into contact with air. It must be said that such an interaction gives a chemical reaction in which a harmless substance is converted into ammonium bicarbonate, which is forbidden to be used in the food industry.

Therefore, the crystalline powder must be carefully stored using dark, light-proof, tight-fitting glass containers. Alternatively, you can use paper-lined cans with sealed lids. Storage in tight paper bags is allowed. No other dishes (Earthenware, ceramic, earthenware) are suitable for storage.

Is ammonium carbonate dangerous? Is there any harm?

More recently, this food additive was synthesized by distillation at high temperature from natural nitrogenous raw materials, for example, from horns, hooves, and cattle wool. Currently, it is produced on an industrial scale from a mixture of ammonium chloride, which undergoes a heating procedure, or is obtained by the interaction of carbon dioxide with ammonia and water, subject to very rapid cooling of the mixture.

Many are afraid to use ammonium carbonate in cooking, as well as to use products in the preparation of which it was used. This is due to the fact that the substance gives off carbon dioxide and ammonia, which can be harmful to health.

However, as experts say, under the influence of high temperatures during baking, carbon dioxide and ammonia evaporate and decompose into harmless components. In particular, in the finished product, only water remains from the initially harmful compound. Therefore, only pure ammonium carbonate is considered harmful.

It should be noted that the E 503 additive is allowed in most countries. In particular, the UK government food standards organization (FSA) has recognized this supplement as harmless to human health. Therefore, it is allowed to use it in the industrial production of confectionery. For example, ammonium carbonate is added to the dough when making Icelandic puffed cookies.

However, in some countries this supplement is still not used. Therefore, if you are also afraid to use it, use baking soda or baking yeast as a baking powder. When buying ready-made confectionery products, carefully look at the list of ingredients indicated on the package. They often designate this component as E 503 or simply write -
"ammonium salts".

Ammonium carbonates, substances that appear in the table of classification of food additives under the marking code E 503.

In fact, it is ammonium carbonate. As an additive, it has an artificial nature of origin.

And in food production it is used as a baking powder and emulsifier.

Origin: 2-synthetic;

Danger:home brew level;

Synonymous names:E 503, ammonia, ammonium carbonate, ammonium carbonate, ammonium carbonate, ammonium hydrogen carbonate, E-503, Ammonium hydrogen carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium carbonate, ammonium carbonate, ammonium carbonate salts, ammonium salts

general information

Ammonia (the common name of the substance) or ammonium carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid and, in physical terms, is a crystal-like colorless powder that dissolves very well in an aqueous medium.

In the form of a molecular formula, it can be represented like this: (NH 4) 2 CO 3. This compound is distinguished by a high level of stability. It oxidizes on contact with air, and even at room temperature.

In this case, toxic ammonia gas is also released, and the substance itself turns into ammonium bicarbonate with a molecular formula of the following form: NH 4 HCO 3.

When the air temperature reaches 60 ° C, the additive begins to break down into three components - water, ammonia and carbon dioxide.

In food production, this additive is used precisely because of its property of emitting gases during decomposition.

For the first production of ammonium carbonate, horns, nails and hair were used as raw materials, and the method was distillation at high temperatures.

Today, modern industry uses the method of heating a mixture of ammonium chloride to obtain an additive, or the reaction of reverse decomposition, that is, the interaction of carbon dioxide and ammonia with water during its rapid cooling.

Influence on the body

Harm

There are a number of opinions of pundits who talk about the dangers of this type of supplement. But these opinions are very controversial at this stage of research on the substance. And such opinions are connected, most likely, with the high level of toxicity of ammonia, which is in the composition of ammonium carbonate.

But, after all, ammonia together with carbon dioxide evaporate during the reaction in the process of obtaining the additive, therefore, the result of the reaction can no longer harm the human body.

Benefit

The E 503 supplement does not bring any particular benefit to human health. But, for its use in food, it is enough that it is hypoallergenic, that is, it does not cause inadequate reactions from the immune and other systems of the body.

Usage

In food production, E 503 easily replaces soda and yeast, and is used in these roles in the manufacture of confectionery (cookies, cakes), bakery products (bagels, loaves, etc.). For example, it should be said that in other countries only this additive is used for the preparation of branded baked goods. These pastries include Icelandic puffed cookies.

In the case of replacing the E 503 additive with soda or yeast, the cookies lose their branded value, and with it their taste and appearance, that is, they cease to be branded.

Other areas of application of the additive are pharmacology (ammonia, antitussive syrups, etc.), the chemical industry (fire extinguishing compounds), cosmetology (as a dye).

Legislation

In almost all countries of the world, E 503 is approved for use in human food. And according to research carried out by the UK Food Standards Agency, the supplement is safe, and no standardized dosage has been established.

As part of a yeast-free dough.

There is an explanation for this: unlike sodium carbonates, the substance does not require a strict dosage when added to the recipe, does not leave an unpleasant aftertaste in the finished product.

Ammonium carbonates is the officially accepted name of the additive ( GOST 55580-2013).

The index in the European codification of food additives is E 503 (E-503).

Synonyms:

• Ammonium carbonates, international;
• food grade ammonium carbonates;
• ammonium carbonate (carbonate);
• bicarbonate, ammonium carbonate (bicarbonate);
• ammonium carbonate or ammonium salts, the name may be indicated on the product packaging;
• carbonate de ammonium, German;
• ammonium Carbonat, French.

Substance type

Additive E 503 belongs to the group of food products, it is approved for use as a baking powder and acidity regulator.

The substance consists of several ammonium salts of carbonic acid:

• mixtures of ammonium carbonate, bicarbonate and carbamate (E503i);
• pure ammonium bicarbonate (E503ii).

There are several ways to obtain a substance.

An additive for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries is produced by the interaction of two gases: hydrogen nitride (NH3), better known as ammonia, and carbon dioxide (CO2). This reaction takes place in the presence of water vapor. The resulting product is quickly cooled and dried.

Properties

Package

Food ammonium carbonates are packaged in polyethylene bags, brewed and placed in an outer packaging container:

• multilayer paper bags;
• grocery bags made of woven synthetic threads;
• corrugated cardboard boxes;
• winding drums.

E 503 additive weighing up to 1 kg is supplied in tight plastic bags or plastic cans. Available for retail sale as baking powder.

Application

The main area of ​​application for the E 503 is in the food industry.