Access to this page has been denied because we believe you are using automation tools to browse the website. Not to be confused with Sodium carbonate. For the leavening agent of which baking soda is a common ingredient, see Baking powder. Because it has long been known and widely baking powder replacement, the salt has many different names such as baking soda, bread soda, cooking soda, and bicarbonate of soda and can often be found near baking powder in stores.
The term baking soda is more common in the United States, while bicarbonate of soda is more common in Australia, United Kingdom and Ireland. 19th century for both sodium bicarbonate and potassium bicarbonate. Its E number food additive code is E500. In cooking, baking soda is primarily used in baking as a leavening agent. When it reacts with acid, carbon dioxide is released, which causes expansion of the batter and forms the characteristic texture and grain in cakes, quick breads, soda bread, and other baked and fried foods.
Sodium bicarbonate is one of the main components of the common “black snake” firework. The effect is caused by the thermal decomposition, which produces carbon dioxide gas to produce a long snake-like ash as a combustion product of the other main component, sucrose. It has weak disinfectant properties, and it may be an effective fungicide against some organisms. Sodium bicarbonate can be used to extinguish small grease or electrical fires by being thrown over the fire, as heating of sodium bicarbonate releases carbon dioxide.