E517 (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 Flavourings (FAF), Younes, M., Aquilina, G., Castle, L., Engel, K.H., Fowler, P., Fürst, P., Gürtler, R., Gundert‐Remy, U., Husøy, T. and Mennes, W., 2019. Re‐evaluation of sulphuric acid and its sodium, potassium, calcium and ammonium salts (E 513, 514 (i), 514 (ii), 515 (i), 515 (ii), 516 and 517) as food additive. EFSA Journal, 17(10), p.e05868.
E517 
