Ammonium phosphate
Not authorised in AU-NZ and EU and US. No evidence of harm at dietary intake.
- Category
- Stabilisers
- Vegan
- Yes
- Vegetarian
- Yes
What it is
An inorganic salt used in agriculture as fertilizer, and historically in food as a yeast nutrient or dough strengthener.
How it is used in food
Ammonium phosphates buffer pH, act as leavening acids and, above all, serve as nutrients that keep yeast and bacterial fermentations healthy by supplying both nitrogen and phosphorus. In baking they strengthen dough and standardise proofing; in brewing and winemaking they prevent sluggish, stalled fermentations.
Commonly found in- Agriculture
- Historically in baking
Health and safety
Not authorised on the current EU list of direct food additives.
Ammonium and phosphate are both ordinary dietary constituents, and the salts are GRAS in the United States. The relevant safety question is cumulative phosphate intake rather than this specific salt: EFSA's 2019 re-evaluation set a group ADI for phosphates of 40 mg/kg body weight per day expressed as phosphorus, noting that some high consumers already exceed it. Ammonium phosphate is not authorised as a direct additive in the EU.
Regulatory status
| Region | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Australia & New Zealand FSANZ |
Not approved | Not approved for general food use or historically banned due to safety concerns. |
| 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) |
Not approved | Not approved for general food use or historically banned due to safety concerns. |
Identification on labels
- E-number
- E342
Worth knowing
Diammonium phosphate is the winemaker's standard fix for hydrogen-sulfide "rotten egg" aromas — nitrogen-starved yeast start scavenging sulfur compounds, and a small DAP addition stops the problem at its source.
Conclusion
An unauthorized food additive.
Is it in what you are buying?
ScanWise reads the barcode and tells you which additives a product actually contains, and what they do to its score.
Open the appEntry last reviewed 2026-07-28.
← All additives