E359 - ammonium adipate

At a glance

• What it is: The ammonium salt of adipic acid, labeled as E359.
• What it does: Helps control acidity (pH) and can act as a buffering agent in foods.
• Where it’s found: Rare on labels; authorization varies by country.
• Related additives: adipic acid, sodium adipate, potassium adipate.
• Label names: “E359” or “ammonium adipate.”

Why is ammonium adipate added to food?

Food makers use salts of acids to fine‑tune flavor and acidity. Compared with the free acid, a salt can provide gentler sourness, more stable pH over time, and better performance in dry mixes. Ammonium adipate would serve as a buffering agent and acidity regulator, helping flavors stay consistent during shelf life.

What foods contain ammonium adipate?

You are unlikely to see E359 on EU labels because ammonium adipate is not included in the European Union’s Union list of authorized food additives in Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, nor does it have EU specifications in Regulation (EU) No 231/2012.¹² Outside the EU, authorization can differ by country. Where permitted, salts of adipic acid are generally suited to dry beverage mixes, dessert powders, and confectionery that need controlled acidity.

What can replace ammonium adipate?

• Other adipates: adipic acid, sodium adipate, potassium adipate.
• Common acidulants: citric acid, malic acid, fumaric acid.
• For leavened baked goods, some formulators use ammonium-based leaveners like ammonium carbonates when that specific functionality is needed.

How is ammonium adipate made?

It is typically produced by neutralizing adipic acid (a dicarboxylic acid) with ammonia to form the corresponding ammonium salt. This straightforward acid–base reaction is the same general approach used to make many food-grade salts from their parent acids.

Is ammonium adipate safe to eat?

Safety depends on both the adipate part and the ammonium part, and on how much is used. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) set an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0–5 mg per kilogram body weight per day for adipic acid, indicating a low order of toxicity for the adipate ion at typical use levels.³ In the EU, only additives that pass a safety assessment and are authorized may be used; E359 is not authorized there, so it should not appear on EU foods.⁴¹

Does ammonium adipate have any benefits?

• Product quality: Buffers help keep pH stable, which can protect flavor and color over shelf life.
• Formulation flexibility: Using an ammonium salt avoids adding sodium or potassium, which can be useful in low‑sodium or low‑potassium formulations.
• Sensory: Compared with the free acid, salts often taste less sharply sour, which can be desirable in some dry mixes.

Who should avoid ammonium adipate?

• People with urea cycle disorders (UCDs) or other conditions where ammonia handling is impaired should follow medical advice to limit sources that could contribute to ammonia load; any additive containing ammonium warrants caution for these individuals.⁵
• Anyone advised by their clinician to avoid ammonium salts should check labels and choose alternatives.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “E‑numbers mean an additive is synthetic or unsafe.” Fact: E‑numbers are simply identifiers used in the EU for additives that have been evaluated and authorized; if an additive is not authorized, it won’t have approved uses in the Union list.⁴¹
• Myth: “Ammonium in foods is the same as smelling ammonia.” Fact: Ammonium salts in foods are different from gaseous ammonia; the body naturally produces ammonia during protein metabolism and normally converts it to urea for excretion.⁶
• Fact: In the EU, ammonium adipate (E359) is not on the Union list of permitted additives, so it should not be used or labeled on EU foods.¹

ammonium adipate in branded foods

E359 is uncommon on ingredient lists globally, and it is not authorized in the EU. If used in other markets, it would appear as “ammonium adipate” or “E359” on the label. To check a specific product, read the ingredient list or contact the manufacturer’s consumer care line.

References

Footnotes

1. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives — European Union. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32008R1333 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

2. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives — European Union. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32012R0231 ↩

3. Adipic acid and its salts (ADI 0–5 mg/kg bw) — WHO/JECFA Monographs, Food Additives Series 32. http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v32je05.htm ↩

4. Food additives: authorization and E‑numbers — European Commission. https://food.ec.europa.eu/safety/food-improvement-agents/additives_en ↩ ↩²

5. Urea cycle disorders — MedlinePlus Genetics (NIH/NLM). https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/urea-cycle-disorders/ ↩

6. Ammonia: ToxFAQs — Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CDC). https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/ToxFAQs/ToxFAQsDetails.aspx?faqid=11&toxid=2 ↩