Salmiak salt (ammonium chloride) has long been put in medicines and confections. It mixes with saliva and forms ammonia in the mouth and throat, which was traditionally believed to be antibacterial and expectorant.
Salmiak licorice was long a thing in Central Europe. Salmiak licorice is contrasted with süß or sweet liquorice. The stamp DZ ZOUT on these is from the Dutch for dubbelzout or double salt.
I’m sort of new to salmiak liquorice. I ate one and thought it was like eating a urinal as I could actually taste the ammonia. The old school versions are hard core. They have like 6-8% ammonium chloride.
