Deer horn salt

Deer horn salt

Hirschhornsalz ( E 503 ) is a baking agent and consists mainly of ammonium hydrogen carbonate NH ₄ HCO _{3 in} addition to ammonium carbonate (NH ₄ ) ₂ CO ₃ and some ammonium carbamate H ₂ NCOONH ₄ .

In pure form, this salt is also known as ABC engine called, derived from the ancient name of the main pharmaceutical ingredient A mmonium- b i c arbonat (ammonium).

history

Deer horn salt was originally obtained by dry distillation of grated "deer horn", which is where the name comes from. The antlers ("horns") of the deer consist mainly not of horn , but of bone . Deer horn salt was later extracted from other nitrogenous parts of animals: horns, hooves, claws and leather.

In the past it was used not only as a raising agent but also as a mild smelling salt , especially in perfumed versions.

Properties and use

When heated, all components break down into carbon dioxide , ammonia and sometimes water.

${\displaystyle \mathrm {\ NH_{4}HCO_{3}\longrightarrow \ NH_{3}+CO_{2}+H_{2}O} }$

${\displaystyle \mathrm {\ H_{2}N{-}C({=}O){-}ONH_{4}\longrightarrow \ 2\ NH_{3}+CO_{2}} }$

Deer horn salt is used to loosen flat baked goods , such as B. Shortcrust pastry , Spekulatius , Springerle , American , deer horn cake or for gingerbread .

Deer horn salt is not suitable for high baked goods (e.g. high cakes), as ammonia would be retained, which can affect the taste and color. You can use it to prepare flat cakes, they have a very long shelf life.

Deer horn salt differs from baking powder, among other things, in the lack of acidic components. Deer horn salt should be stored in a cool, dry place and separately (or well closed) from other baking aids (e.g. vanilla sugar ), otherwise it will be adversely affected by released ammonia. The salt smells faintly of ammonia and tastes similar to salmiac .

It is also used to make artist paints (casein tempera ).

safety instructions

Deer horn salt is harmful to health if consumed directly. The ammonia is largely expelled by heating. When baking with deer horn salt, the formation of acrylamide is particularly favorable. Many bakeries therefore use baking soda as an alternative raising agent. Ammonium carbonates are generally approved in the EU as food additive with the number E 503 without maximum quantity restriction ( quantum satis ) for food.

Web links

Wiktionary: Hirschhornsalz  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Hirschhorn . In: Merck's Warenlexikon . 3rd ed. 1884 ff., P. 203 f.
2. ^ Kohlensäuresalze In: Meyers Konversationslexikon , Verlag des Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig and Vienna, fourth edition, 1885-1892
3. ↑ Entry on staghorn salt. In: Römpp Online . Georg Thieme Verlag, accessed on January 5, 2015.
4. ^ Stiftung Warentest: Acrylamide in diabetic pastries in: test 12/2003 (accessed online on February 3, 2013).