Ammonium salts of phosphatidic acid

INS 442

Used as an emulsifier.

These emulsifiers control how molten chocolate flows. Chocolate is a suspension of solids in fat, and getting it to coat a mould thinly without adding expensive cocoa butter is what this additive is for.

Where it is and isn’t permitted

Status of Ammonium salts of phosphatidic acid by jurisdiction. Every jurisdiction this site covers is listed, including those where the substance does not appear.
JurisdictionStatusScope and limitsCitation
United StatesFood and Drug AdministrationNot listedDoes not appear on this jurisdiction’s permitted list. That is not the same as being prohibited.
Codex AlimentariusCodex Alimentarius Commission / JECFAPermitted, with conditions

4 food categories

highest permitted level 10,000 mg/kg

Show every food category
  • 01.7 Dairy-based desserts (e.g. pudding, fruit or flavoured yoghurt) — 5,000 mg/kg
  • 05.1.1 Cocoa mixes (powders) and cocoa mass/cake — 10,000 mg/kg
  • 05.1.4 Cocoa and chocolate products — 10,000 mg/kg
  • 05.1.5 Imitation chocolate, chocolate substitute products — 10,000 mg/kg
CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 442and 3 further provisionsretrieved 2026-09-07

What it is made from

Made by reacting glycerides with phosphoric acid and neutralising with ammonia. The starting fat is normally rapeseed oil.

  • Vegan status depends on the source
  • Vegetarian status depends on the source
  • May raise a halal question
  • May raise a kosher question

This is not an omission. What this additive is made from is not fixed — depending on the manufacturer it may be plant, animal or microbial in origin, nobody is required to say which, and the same product can change source between production runs. Ask the manufacturer if it matters to you; a label cannot answer it.

Every name it appears under

2 recorded names. A label may use any of them.

INS number

  • 442

Other names

  • AMMONIUM SALTS OF PHOSPHATIDIC ACID

Hazard reference values

No reference value for this substance in the sources we hold.

Evidence and how bodies read it

Studies, and the differing conclusions regulators drew from them, are curated by hand rather than machine-read, and none has been written for this substance yet.

Sources for this page

  • gsfa retrieved 2026-09-07

Full licence terms and publisher details on Sources. How this page is built and updated: Method.

Machine-readable:/api/v1/additives/ammonium-salts-of-phosphatidic-acid.json