E503Raising agentAcidity regulator
What Is E503? Ammonium Carbonates and Where It Is Used
Also known as: Ammonium bicarbonate, Baker's ammonia
E503 is the shared number of the ammonium carbonates, raising agents used in thin, dry baked goods such as biscuits and wafers. In the oven they turn into gas and raise the dough.
- In the Besin database
- 535 products
- About 4.6 in every 100 products
- Source
- Synthetic
- Acceptable daily intake (ADI)
- No numerical value set
What does E503 do?
When heated they break down into carbon dioxide, ammonia and water vapour, which raise the dough. Because they largely leave the product during baking, they are mostly used in thin, dry products such as biscuits and crackers.
How is it made?
Made by reacting ammonia with carbon dioxide.
Vegan and halal: No animal raw material is used; it suits vegan and vegetarian diets.
Which products contain E503?
535 of the 11,663 packaged products in the Besin database list E503 (Ammonium carbonates) in their ingredients. The categories where it appears most often:
- Cream and Sandwich Biscuits95 products
- Coated and Stick Biscuits94 products
- Wafers41 products
- Chocolate Coated Wafers36 products
- Plain Biscuits29 products
- Petit Beurre Biscuits20 products
Numbers as of the database snapshot of October 18, 2026.
Official evaluation
The international JECFA committee last evaluated ammonium carbonate in 1982 and saw no need for a numerical ADI ("ADI not specified"). When this page was written we found no finished EFSA re-evaluation opinion for it. It is permitted in Türkiye and the EU.
Food additives are regulated by the EU food additives regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) and, in Türkiye, the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives (Official Gazette, 30.06.2013, No. 28693). The ADI is the amount estimated to be safe to take every day over a lifetime, given per kilogram of body weight.
Frequently asked questions
Is E503 ammonia?
No, ammonium carbonate is not ammonia; but when it heats up in the oven it breaks down and releases ammonia gas, which largely leaves the product during baking.
Why is E503 used in biscuits?
In thin, dry products the gas escapes easily, so it gives a strong rise without leaving a taste. In thick, moist cakes an ammonia smell could remain, so it is rarely used there.
Which products contain E503 most often?
In the Besin database it appears most often in cream and coated biscuits, wafers, plain biscuits and petit beurre biscuits.
Related additives
Sources
- EFSA: Food additives
- JECFA: Ammonium carbonate evaluation summary
- the EU food additives regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) and, in Türkiye, the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives (Official Gazette, 30.06.2013, No. 28693)
Last reviewed: . This page is for information only and is not medical advice. To report a mistake, write to iletisim@besin.app.