Ammonium bicarbonate (NH4HCO3) is an inorganic salt widely used as a leavening agent in baking and food processing. It decomposes upon heating above 36°C into ammonia, carbon dioxide, and water, providing lift without leaving alkaline residues. It appears as a white crystalline powder with a faint ammonia odor. Highly soluble in water (17.4 g/100 mL at 0°C), it finds applications in pharmaceuticals, dyes, and fire extinguishers. In food, it is approved for use in cookies and crackers. Chemically, it exists in equilibrium with ammonium carbonate and carbamate in solution. Its volatility makes it suitable for applications requiring complete decomposition without residual salts. The compound is produced by reacting ammonia with carbon dioxide in water.