E-numbers / Other additives / E527
also: Ammonia solution · aqueous ammonia
Ammonia dissolved in water, used to adjust acidity in food manufacturing. A processing aid that raises pH and has no flavour in the finished product.
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Ammonium hydroxide is an aqueous solution of ammonia gas (NH3 dissolved in water).
8
of the 43,325 UK supermarket foods we checked declare E527 in their ingredients
That is under 0.1%, counted by its code or its name.
Counted by NutraSafe from UK supermarket ingredient lists, September 2026. How we counted
Ammonium hydroxide is an aqueous solution of ammonia gas (NH3 dissolved in water). At the concentrations used in food processing it functions as an alkaline pH regulator. It is the same compound used in trace amounts in many natural fermentation processes.
It raises the pH of food mixtures, neutralising acids and creating the alkaline conditions some processes require. In cocoa processing it is used to darken colour and mellow bitterness (Dutch-process cocoa). In baking it acts as a leavening agent, releasing gas when heated. Any residual ammonia evaporates during cooking, so little to none remains in the finished food.
Dutch-process cocoa powder and chocolate products, some baked goods such as certain crackers and breads, processed cheese, confectionery, and caramel. Because it functions as a processing aid and typically leaves no residue, it may not always appear on the label. When declared it appears as 'ammonium hydroxide' or 'E527'.
Ammonia is produced by the human body as a normal by-product of protein metabolism and is present in many unprocessed foods at low levels. The small amounts that could carry over from food use are well below what the body routinely handles. No specific toxicological concern at food-use levels has been identified by EFSA or the UK FSA.
Ammonium compounds including ammonium hydroxide are classed as Group I additives, meaning they may be used at quantum satis (as much as necessary to achieve the technological effect, not in excess) across a wide range of food categories.
Ammonium hydroxide has also been applied as an antimicrobial treatment in lean finely textured beef (LFTB) to reduce E. coli and Salmonella. This specific industrial use attracted public attention in 2012. Regulatory bodies reviewed the practice and found no residue safety concern, though the practice raised questions about transparency in labelling.
The USDA and FDA reviewed ammonium hydroxide treatment of beef trimmings and concluded that residue levels in processed meat posed no health risk, as ammonia levels post-treatment were comparable to those occurring naturally in meat.
No population group is specifically advised to avoid E527 at the levels found in food. People with impaired liver or kidney function who already struggle to process ammonia (a normal metabolite) may wish to discuss heavily processed-food intake with their doctor, though this concern applies to protein intake broadly rather than to E527 specifically. Look for 'ammonium hydroxide' or 'E527' on the label.
E527 is one of the most chemically straightforward food additives: it is ammonia dissolved in water, a compound the body produces itself during normal protein digestion. Its Group I classification reflects that regulators found nothing to restrict. The 2012 controversy in the US over its use in beef trimmings was about processing transparency rather than a residue health concern. In UK and EU food it appears mainly in cocoa and baking contexts where it either evaporates during heating or is present at very low levels in the finished product. There is no active scientific debate about consumer risk from E527 in food.
No. E527 is authorised in the UK under the FSA approved-additives list and the assimilated EU Regulation 1333/2008. It holds Group I status, meaning it can be used across a broad range of food categories at quantum satis levels.
Ammonium hydroxide was used in the US to treat lean finely textured beef (LFTB), which the media nicknamed 'pink slime'. That use was an antimicrobial wash applied to beef trimmings. EU and UK regulations do not permit that specific application. In UK food, E527 appears mainly in cocoa processing and baking, not in meat treatment.
Dutch-process cocoa, some dark chocolates, crackers, certain breads, processed cheese, and caramel products. Because it often functions as a processing aid and dissipates during cooking, it may not appear on every label even when used in production.
Yes. Ammonium hydroxide is produced synthetically and contains no animal-derived ingredients.
Last reviewed: 20 June 2026
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