Ingredient · Acid
Ammonium acid carbonate
Just another name for ammonium bicarbonate, a mild raising agent used in small amounts in baked goods.
Ammonium acid carbonate (also called ammonium bicarbonate) is a leavening agent, sometimes used in flat baked goods like cookies and crackers where it breaks down into gases that help the dough rise. It's a common, long-used food ingredient with a strong track record and no meaningful toxicity at the tiny amounts used in food.
Why it matters
Ammonium acid carbonate is an alternative name for ammonium bicarbonate, sometimes called 'baker's ammonia'. It's a raising agent: when heated, it breaks down into ammonia gas, carbon dioxide, and water, which puff up dough. It's mostly used in thin, crispy baked goods (like some cookies and crackers) because the ammonia smell evaporates fully during baking - it wouldn't work in thick cakes where the smell could get trapped. For most people this ingredient is a non-issue: it's been used in baking for centuries and disappears during cooking.
