Ammonium carbonates

E503 is the European food-additive number for Ammonium carbonates, a raising agent — releases gas to make baked goods rise. Ammonium carbonates (E503) is a raising agent used as a food additive.

What is E503 used for?

Ammonium carbonates (E503) is a raising agent — releases gas to make baked goods rise. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all raising agents (E-numbers).

Is E503 safe or restricted?

E503 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as “No regulatory flags” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.

Is E503 vegan or vegetarian?

Ammonium carbonates (E503) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

The production source can vary between manufacturers — the Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product. Always read the label for allergens.

Which foods contain E503?

E503 appears in 11,381 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in chocolate candy, shortbread and crackers.

• Chocolate Candy837
• Shortbread736
• Crackers642
• Cream-Filled Cookies522
• Wafers344
• Cakes323
• Biscuits & Cookies308
• Chocolate Chips / Baking Chocolate286

Often appears alongside

Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E503 across the catalogue.

• E3224,688
• E500II3,580
• E500I2,732
• E3301,731
• E4711,137
• E3751,085
• E450963
• E500877

Counts reflect Forkin's independently enriched product catalogue and update as new products are added — they are not a market-share statistic.

Frequently asked questions about E503

What is E503?

E503 is the E-number for Ammonium carbonates, a raising agent — releases gas to make baked goods rise. Ammonium carbonates (E503) is a raising agent used as a food additive.

What is E503 used for?

Ammonium carbonates (E503) is a raising agent — releases gas to make baked goods rise. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.

Which foods contain E503?

E503 appears in 11,381 of the 4.7 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in chocolate candy, shortbread and crackers. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.

Is E503 vegan or vegetarian?

Ammonium carbonates (E503) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.

Is E503 safe, and is it banned anywhere?

E503 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as "No regulatory flags" and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.