Ammonium acetate
An obscure acidity regulator lacking EU authorisation.
- Category
- Acidity regulators
- Vegan
- Yes
- Vegetarian
- Yes
What it is
A chemical compound derived from ammonia and acetic acid.
How it is used in food
Ammonium acetate acts as a buffer and acidity regulator, holding pH steady in the mildly acidic range where many flavour and texture systems are most stable. It also supplies assimilable nitrogen, which makes it useful as a yeast nutrient in fermentations.
Commonly found in- Historically as an acidity regulator
Health and safety
Not currently on the EU approved list of food additives, though it is used in some regional regulatory frameworks.
Both constituent ions are ordinary human metabolites — acetate feeds the citric acid cycle and ammonium is handled by the urea cycle — and the substance is affirmed GRAS in the United States. It is not listed in the EU's Annex II of authorised additives, so European use is limited to processing-aid and technical contexts rather than direct addition.
Regulatory status
| Region | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australia & New Zealand FSANZ |
Permitted | Permitted under the FSANZ Food Standards Code. |
| European Union EFSA / European Commission |
Not approved | Not on the EU authorised list of food additives (Annex II). |
| United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration) |
Permitted | Authorised for food use by the FDA (often GRAS for standard additives). |
Identification on labels
- E-number
- E264
Worth knowing
Outside food it is one of the most-used buffers in analytical chemistry: because it decomposes cleanly into volatile ammonia and acetic acid, it is the standard mobile-phase salt for LC-MS work that would be ruined by non-volatile phosphates.
Conclusion
An obscure acidity regulator lacking EU authorisation.
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Open the appEntry last reviewed 2026-07-28.
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