Food Bases & Alkalis

Food bases, also known as alkalizing agents or pH adjusters, are compounds that raise the pH of food products to create alkaline conditions for specific functional purposes. Common food bases include sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sodium hydroxide (lye), potassium carbonate, calcium hydroxide (slaked lime), and ammonium bicarbonate. These ingredients play essential roles in food processing from the leavening action of baking soda to the nixtamalization of corn for tortilla production to the production of pretzel crusts and Dutch-process cocoa.

Food bases are used in baked goods, pretzels, bagels, ramen noodles, corn tortillas, hominy, Dutch-process cocoa, cured olives, canned vegetables, caramel coloring production, and various confectionery products where pH adjustment is needed.

Level (high → low)Level (low → high)Name (A–Z)Name (Z–A)

AllL1L2L3L4

Glutino, Gluten Free Crackers, Cheddar

8.13.5/10

Crackers, Real Cheddar Cheese

8.13.5/10

Crackers, Cheddar Cheese

8.12.0/10

Kellogg's Eggo Pancakes Blueberry 3.03oz

8.14.0/10

Ketzal for iPhone

Is One Of These In Your Pantry?

Scan it with Ketzal to see your exact product's scores and a less processed swap. Free, no account needed.

Scan It Free

Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Toasted Coconut Granola Bar

8.13.0/10

Nature Valley Protein Peanut Almond & Dark Chocolate Chewy Bar

8.15.5/10

Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Reese's Peanut Butter Cookies 24 Count

8.12.0/10

Toasted Coconut Peanut, Coconut, and Granola Dipped in Almond Butter Coating Sweet & Salty Nut Granola Bars

8.10.0/10

100% Whole Wheat Tortilla Wraps

8.17.0/10

Vanilla Flavored Creme Filled Gluten Free Sandwich Cookies, Vanilla

8.10.0/10

Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread & Muffin Mix, Apple Cinnamon

8.13.5/10

Everything Heirloom Snack Crackers, Everything

8.16.5/10

Peanut, Almond & Dark Chocolate Protein Chewy Bars, Peanut, Almond & Dark Chocolate

Nature Valley

8.15.0/10

Fish Sticks

Pacific Sustainable Seafood

8.17.5/10

Plsbry Choc Chip Cookie Dough

Pillsbury

8.10.0/10

Nature Valley Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola Bar

5.50.0/10

Annie's Organic Chocolate Chunk Bake & Share Cookie Dough 12 Count

5.50.0/10

Immaculate Baking Organic Chocolate Chunk Cookies 12 Count

5.50.0/10

Animalitos Animal Cookies

5.50.0/10

Crispy Oatmeal Granola Cookies

5.54.0/10

Bisquick Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix

5.30.0/10

Stonehedge Farms, Old Fashioned Caramel Popcorn

5.30.0/10

Caramel Popcorn

5.33.5/10

Nut Butter Bites with Peanuts Poppable Sweet & Crunchy Snacks, Peanuts

5.33.5/10

Nut Butter Bites Snacks with Pecans, Pecans

5.33.5/10

Gluten Free Yellow Cake Baking Mix, Yellow Cake

5.33.0/10

Salted Caramel Flavored Popcorn, Salted Caramel

Wondershop

5.31.0/10

Caramel Corn, Caramel

Palo Popcorn

5.32.0/10

Caramel Premium Old Fashioned Popcorn, Caramel

Wye River

5.33.5/10

Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar, Farm Favorites Frozen Veg

Pictsweet Farms

5.34.5/10

Superior Iodized Salt

3.03.0/10

Clabber Girl, Double Acting Baking Powder

3.03.0/10

Old Fashioned Hards Sourdough Pretzels

3.00.0/10

Double Acting Baking Powder

3.03.0/10

Organic Skinny Stick Organic Pretzels

3.00.0/10

Food Lion, Pure Baking Powder

3.03.0/10

Iodized Salt

3.03.0/10

Tempura Batter Milk

3.05.0/10

Iga, White Albacore Tuna Packed in Water

3.07.0/10

Boulder Bake, Almond Flour Pancake Mix

3.07.0/10

Doughnut

3.00.0/10

Overachieving H2o Purified Water

3.05.0/10

Egg Replacer

3.05.0/10

Breaded Okra

Great Value

2.85.5/10

Korean Style Crunchy Battered Chicken with Orange Sauce, Korean Style with Orange Sauce

Bibigo

2.83.5/10

Arm & Hammer, Pure Baking Soda

1.03.0/10

Baking Soda

1.03.0/10

365 Everyday Value, Baking Soda

1.03.0/10

Winco Foods, Baking Soda

1.03.0/10

Brookshire's, Baking Soda

1.03.0/10

Premium Quality Pure Baking Soda

1.03.0/10

100% Pure Baking Soda

1.03.0/10

Pure Baking Soda

1.03.0/10

Baking Soda for Baking, Cleaning, & Deodorizing

1.03.0/10

Chunky Peanut Butter Soft Baked Almond Flour Bars

1.03.0/10

Soft Baked Dark Chocolate Almond Flour Bars, Dark Chocolate Almond

1.03.0/10

Peanut Butter Soft Baked Almond Flour Cookies, Peanut Butter

1.02.5/10

Baking Soda

Clabber Girl

1.03.0/10

Baking Soda

Ginger Evans

1.03.0/10

Baking Soda

Market Pantry

1.03.0/10

Browse all 42,538 products →

Food Bases & Alkalis can appear in ingredient lists under several names. If you see any of the following, this is the ingredient family you are looking at:

Food bases serve diverse functions depending on the application. Sodium bicarbonate reacts with acids to produce carbon dioxide gas for leavening in baked goods. Sodium hydroxide is used in processing olives, pretzels, and hominy, and in cocoa dutching to reduce bitterness and darken color. Calcium hydroxide is used in nixtamalization — the traditional process that makes corn masa for tortillas and tamales, which also increases calcium content and niacin bioavailability in the corn. Bases also neutralize excess acidity, modify protein structure, and facilitate peeling of fruits and vegetables in industrial processing.

Food bases are produced through various chemical and mining processes. Sodium bicarbonate is manufactured through the Solvay process (passing carbon dioxide through sodium carbonate solution) or mined as the mineral nahcolite. Sodium hydroxide is produced through the electrolysis of salt water (chloralkali process). Calcium hydroxide is made by adding water to calcium oxide (quicklime), which is obtained by heating limestone. Potassium carbonate is produced from potassium hydroxide and carbon dioxide. Ammonium bicarbonate is produced through the reaction of ammonia with carbon dioxide and water.

Food bases are typically neutralized during the manufacturing process and do not significantly affect the final product pH when used as processing aids. Sodium bicarbonate contributes sodium to the diet, which is noted on the Nutrition Facts label when present in significant amounts. Calcium hydroxide used in nixtamalization increases the calcium content of corn products. Concentrated bases like sodium hydroxide are caustic in their raw form but are present at very low levels or fully neutralized in finished food products.

This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

Food bases are regulated as food additives or processing aids by the FDA. Sodium bicarbonate is classified as GRAS and widely permitted. Sodium hydroxide is approved for specific food processing applications at defined concentrations. The EU assigns E-numbers to food bases (e.g., E500 for sodium carbonates, E524 for sodium hydroxide) and specifies permitted uses. When used as processing aids that are removed or neutralized during manufacturing, some bases may not require declaration on ingredient labels.