Ammonium sulphate is a chemical compound, the ammonium salt of sulphuric acid and a by-product of ammonia emissions from animal production facilities.

It appears in the form of a white powder.

What it is used for and where

Food

Ingredient listed in the European food additives list as E517, acidity regulator.

Cosmetics

Viscosity control agent. It controls and adapts viscosity to the required level for optimal chemical and physical stability of the product and dosage in gels, suspensions, emulsions, solutions. 

Other uses

• Agricultural fertiliser that provides sulphur and nitrogen to soils.
• Used in the preparation of other ammonium salts

Safety

EFSA's Panel on Food Additives provided a scientific opinion reviewing the safety of sulphuric acid (E513) and its salts of sodium (E514), potassium (E515), calcium (E516) and ammonium (E517) when used as food additives. The Panel observed that exposure to sulphates at the mean and 95th percentile in the non-labelled scenario, as well as in the other scenarios, is far below the 300 mg/kg dose that induced a laxative effect in humans. On the basis of the available toxicological database, the Panel concluded that exposure to sulphuric acid (E513), sodium sulphate (E514), potassium sulphates (E515), calcium sulphate (E516) and ammonium sulphate (E517) does not raise safety concerns for the stated uses and use levels and no numerical Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) is required (1).

• Molecular Formula    H₈N₂O₄S or (NH₄)₂SO₄
• Molecular Weight      132.14
• CAS  7783-20-2 
• UNII    SU46BAM238
• EC Number   231-984-1

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS); Younes M, Aggett P, Aguilar F, Crebelli R, Dusemund B, Filipič M, Frutos MJ, Galtier P, Gott D, Gundert-Remy U, Kuhnle GG, Lambré C, Leblanc JC, Lillegaard IT, Moldeus P, Mortensen A, Oskarsson A, Stankovic I, Waalkens-Berendsen I, Wright M, Di Domenico A, van Loveren H, Giarola A, Horvath Z, Lodi F, Tard A, Woutersen RA. Re-evaluation of aluminium sulphates (E 520-523) and sodium aluminium phosphate (E 541) as food additives. EFSA J. 2018 Jul 27;16(7):e05372. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5372.