Why Does Salted Licorice Taste Like Ammonia?

November 27, 2025 •

3 min read

In Northern Europe, a confectionery specialty known as salty licorice, or salmiakki, is flavored not with table salt but with ammonium chloride. This unique ingredient is the surprising reason why salted licorice tastes like ammonia, a flavor profile that is either passionately loved or intensely disliked.

Quick Summary

Salty licorice gets its distinctive, tongue-numbing, and pungent flavor from ammonium chloride, not regular table salt. This chemical activates the same taste receptors in humans that detect sourness, explaining the sharp, stinging sensation.

Key Points

Ammonium Chloride is the Key Ingredient: Salted licorice gets its sharp, pungent, and ammonia-like flavor from ammonium chloride (salmiak salt), not regular sodium chloride (table salt).
Activates Sour Taste Receptors: Recent scientific research shows that ammonium chloride activates the same protein receptor (OTOP1) on the tongue that signals the sour taste.
It's an Evolutionary Response: The body's ability to detect and often dislike the taste of ammonium is an evolutionary trait, as ammonia can be a sign of toxicity in spoiled food.
Cultural Acquisition of Taste: In Nordic countries, where it is a popular confectionery, the taste for salmiak is typically acquired from childhood, overriding the natural aversion.
Medicinal Origins: The use of ammonium chloride in licorice began when it was used in cough medicines, where licorice was a base and the salt acted as an expectorant.
Not Just Salt: The taste is more astringent and stinging than the simple saltiness of table salt, explaining its divisive nature.

The Chemical Culprit: Ammonium Chloride

Many who try salted licorice for the first time are taken aback by its unique, pungent flavor that often draws comparisons to ammonia or cleaning agents. The source of this unusual taste is a compound called ammonium chloride, also known as 'salmiak salt'. Unlike standard table salt (sodium chloride), ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) delivers an intense, astringent, and almost stinging sensation that distinguishes Nordic salty licorice from other confections. This isn't a case of spoiled candy, but a deliberate and culturally significant flavor choice.

History and Origins of Salmiakki

The use of ammonium chloride in licorice traces back to its origins as a cough medicine. Historically, liquorice root was used for its medicinal properties, including its ability to soothe coughs and digestive issues. Some early pharmaceutical concoctions combined licorice extract with ammonium chloride for its expectorant properties. The resulting taste profile proved popular enough that the combination transitioned from medicine to confectionery, particularly in Scandinavia, Finland, the Netherlands, and Germany. The nostalgic appeal of this unique flavor continues to fuel its popularity in these regions today.

The Science of the Sixth Taste

Recent scientific studies have shed light on how our bodies perceive the flavor of ammonium chloride. Researchers at the University of Southern California and the University of Colorado have found that ammonium chloride activates a specific protein receptor on our taste buds called OTOP1. Intriguingly, this is the same receptor that detects sourness.

This discovery has led some neuroscientists to propose that ammonium chloride represents a potential "sixth basic taste," in addition to the classic sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. The body’s ability to detect this flavor is believed to be an evolutionary defense mechanism. Since ammonia is found in spoiled foods and waste products, an innate aversion to it helps many vertebrates avoid potentially toxic substances. The fact that many find salmiakki distasteful upon first taste is a natural, protective reaction. However, those in Nordic countries who grow up with the flavor often acquire a fondness for it, overriding this initial aversion.

Comparative Analysis: Salmiak vs. Table Salt


Characteristic	Ammonium Chloride (Salmiak)	Sodium Chloride (Table Salt)
Chemical Formula	NH4Cl	NaCl
Primary Sensation	Astringent, pungent, stinging	Salty
Flavor Profile	Sharp, acidic, can be polarizing	Clean, savory, universal
Taste Receptor	OTOP1 (Sourness channel)	ENaC (Salty channel)
Cultural Context	Primarily Nordic countries, Benelux, Germany	Global
Intensity	Can be very intense, especially in high concentrations	Varies, but generally less pungent

Why is it an Acquired Taste?

The love-it-or-hate-it nature of salted licorice is tied directly to the ammonium chloride. For those not raised on the confection, the intense and unfamiliar flavor can be jarring, triggering the body’s natural aversion response. The sharp, sour-bitter notes combined with the distinctive sting can be a sensory overload for an unaccustomed palate. This is in stark contrast to the familiar sweetness of most candies.

For consumers in regions like Finland and the Netherlands, salmiakki is a deeply ingrained part of the culture and is often a nostalgic flavor from childhood. Just as other cultures embrace certain foods that might seem strange to outsiders, Nordic people have embraced the complexity of salmiak. The flavor profile is an acquired taste, much like strong coffee, potent cheese, or bitter dark chocolate. Over time, and with repeated exposure, the initial shock gives way to an appreciation for its unique and potent character.

Conclusion

The next time you encounter salted licorice and wonder why it tastes so strongly of ammonia, you will know the scientific reason. The pungent, stinging flavor is not a mistake, but the deliberate result of adding ammonium chloride, or salmiak salt. This potent compound, which our taste receptors recognize due to an evolutionary defense mechanism, is what defines this beloved (and reviled) Nordic treat. Its complex flavor is a testament to cultural traditions and our fascinating human sense of taste. You can explore more about the history of candy on Wikipedia.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, it is generally safe to eat salted licorice. The ammonia-like flavor comes from ammonium chloride, which is safe for human consumption in the small quantities used in candy.

The Finnish name 'salmiakki' and the Dutch 'salmiak' both come from 'sal ammoniac', which is another term for ammonium chloride, the key flavoring ingredient.

The flavor is an acquired taste. While some are born with a taste for it, most people who love it grew up with it in Northern European cultures. For others, it's a shocking and unpleasant taste because it activates the body's natural aversion to ammonia.

Regular licorice typically uses sugar and licorice root extract, sometimes with anise oil. Salted licorice adds ammonium chloride to this mix, creating a distinctively sharp and pungent salty flavor.

Yes, ammonium chloride can be found in small amounts in some food products, but it is most pronounced and deliberately used as a major flavor component in salted licorice.

No. Ammonium chloride is specifically added to make salted licorice. Regular licorice does not contain this ingredient and has a sweet flavor.

Yes. The amount of ammonium chloride is regulated, and in the EU, there was a proposal to limit its use, although it was challenged due to cultural significance in Nordic countries. The dose used in confectionery is considered safe for consumption.