The strength of the confectionery depends on the amount of food grade ammonium chloride (salmiak salt) used, which varies by country and what's considered a safe amount. In Sweden, for example, the most popular types of salty liquorice contain an average of 7% of ammonium chloride. In 2012, there was a European Union proposal to limit the amount to 0.3%, which was met with wide opposition. [6] Although the European Union now regulates the use of ammonium chloride to 0.3% in most foodstuffs, there is no specific restriction for it in liquorice or ice cream. [7] At a level of up to 7.99% ammonium chloride, salmiak pastilles are considered a "traditionally-applied medicine to assist expectoration in the airways". Salty liquorice is a very famous sweet in the Nordic countries, especially in Finland. It is called "salmiakki" in the Finnish language. The name originates from ammonium chloride, one of the main ingredients of the sweet. It tastes salty, even stinging to some extent. The Koskenkorva Salmiakki liqueur was so popular that the government’s retail monopoly decided to ban it.

Salty Liquorice - Our Top Ten - ScandiKitchen Salty Liquorice - Our Top Ten - ScandiKitchen

An antibacterial effect can be attributed to the neutralization of the slightly acidic ammonium chloride (pH about 5.5) by the relatively alkaline saliva (pH about 7), [8] whereby ammonia is released, which has a disinfecting effect: In Finland, people of all ages eat salmiakki in the form of sweets, throat pastilles and desserts – and, of course, drinks. In fact, the Koskenkorva Salmiakki liqueur was so popular that the government’s retail monopoly decided to ban it from the shops, only shortly after it was introduced to the market. Salty liquorice, salmiak liquorice or salmiac liquorice, is a variety of liquorice flavoured with the ingredient "salmiak salt" ( sal ammoniac; ammonium chloride), and is a common confection found in the Nordic countries, Benelux, and northern Germany. [1] Salmiak salt gives salty liquorice an astringent, salty taste, [2] akin to that of tannins—a characteristic of red wines, which adds bitterness and astringency to the flavour. Consuming salmiak liquorice can stimulate either a savoury or non-savoury palate and response. [1] Anise oil can also be an additional main ingredient in salty liquorice. Extra-salty liquorice is additionally coated with salmiak salt or salmiak powder, or sometimes table salt. Sal ammoniac ( ammonium chloride) has a history of being used as a cough medicine, as it works as an expectorant. [3] Finnish author Jukka Annala speculates that salty liquorice has its origins in pharmacy stores that manufactured their own cough medicine. [4] Where and when ammonium chloride and liquorice were first combined to produce salty liquorice is unclear, [5] but by the 1930s it was produced in Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands as a pastille. [4] Types [ edit ]Koskenkorva Salmiakki, a liqueur made of Koskenkorva Vodka and salty liquorice, was introduced to the Finnish market in the early 1990s. Shortly after its release, production was banned because it was selling too well. N H 4 + + O H − ⟶ N H 3 + H 2 O {\displaystyle \mathrm {NH_{4}