Food Grade Ammonium Carbonate Market

Report Highlights

Food Grade Ammonium Carbonate Market – Introduction

Food grade ammonium carbonate is also known as Baker's Ammonia or hartshorn salt. Ammonium carbonate is a leavening ingredient that is widely used in various old fashioned recipes as it instantly degrades to carbon dioxide and gaseous ammonia upon heating. Consequently, the salt witnesses a range of applications as a leavening agent as well as a smelling salt in the food industry. The increasing adoption of food grade ammonium carbonate in bakery sector can be attributed to its ability to make extra-crisp crackers or cookies. Unlike baking soda or powder, food grade ammonium carbonate does not leave behind any alkaline off-flavor in final baked goods. However, the use of food grade ammonium carbonate is limited to small goods only, as the ammonia gas fails to evaporate from cakes or other large items. 

Some of the leading players operating in food grade ammonium carbonate market are ECSA Chemicals, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Avantor, BASF, Sandvik Materials Technology, TCC, AMRESCO, and Honeywell. Amid the growing competition in the good grade ammonium carbonate market, manufacturers are increasing focusing on expanding their business through strategic partnerships. Several manufacturers have been creating awareness about the benefits of food grade ammonium carbonate as a leavening agent over the highly used baking powder and soda. Such growing strategic initiatives by stakeholders are likely to alter the food grade ammonium carbonate market in a positive way. 

Unique Benefits of Food Grade Ammonium Carbonate as Leavening Agent Fueling Market Growth

With the demand for well baked, and crisp goods with extended shelf life growing at a fast pace, manufacturers in the baking industry are increasingly adopting food grade ammonium carbonate as a leavening agent. This growing adoption of food grade ammonium carbonate can be attributed to the various unique advantages of baking ammonia over other chemical leavening agents for baking some specific kinds of cookies. As baking ammonia increases the pH level in cookies, it weakens the gluten in the final goods. Food grade ammonium carbonate when used as a leavening agent, it creates a finished product that has more spread and tenderness while forming coarser, more-open crumb that instantly dries to a crisp. Furthermore, the use of food grade ammonium carbonate result into crispness that stays longer as compared to using other leavening agents. Moreover, as food grade ammonium carbonate is not very reactive at room temperature, it has impressive good bench tolerance, which makes it highly suitable for stored cookie dough. Consequently, manufacturers in baking industry are significantly leveraging food grade ammonium carbonate in products that demand impressive crispness and shelf life. 

Food Grade Ammonium Carbonate-Associated Storage Issues Impeding Market Growth

Food grade ammonium carbonate has been witnessing growing adoption in baking goods, however, the storage issues pertaining to this leavening agent is hindering its uptake. As baking ammonia has a tendency to evaporate upon air exposure, it needs to be stored in an airtight container. This storage issue has the potential to create challenges for stakeholders, and can limit the growth in food grade ammonium carbonate market.

Hazardous Side of Ammonium Carbonate Restricting Sales

Despite numerous beneficial applications of ammonium carbonate, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classify it as a hazardous substance. When inhaled, ammonium carbonate can cause coughing or shortness of breath by irritating the throat, lungs, and nose. In severe cases inhalation leads to chemical bronchitis, or swells up the air passages. Consequently, ammonium carbonate isn’t suitable for individuals with preexisting lung disease, due to increased susceptibility to its harmful health effects. With consumers increasingly becoming stringent about the food ingredients they are consuming, health concerns associated with ammonium carbonate is likely to limit its uptake.