Lactic Acid

A liquid organic acid with a soft, mild sour taste profile that distinguishes it from the sharp note of citric acid. Provides clean acidulant function with characteristic dairy-fermentation and cured-meat associations.

Yellowish liquid (food grade) or colorless liquid (pharmaceutical and tighter-spec grades). Available at multiple concentration levels with 80 percent and 88 percent solutions as the dominant commercial formats.

We supply food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade Lactic Acid from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production.

Common market grades include Standard 80 percent Food Grade, Premium 88 percent Food Grade, Pharmaceutical Grade meeting BP/USP/EP specifications, Heat-Stable Grade for high-temperature applications, and L(+)-Lactic Acid (the natural enantiomer) for premium food and clinical applications.

Bulk shipments in tankers, IBC totes, and drums. Batch-level COA covering assay, heavy metals, iron, sulphates, chloride, and microbiology.

Lactic Acid was first isolated from sour milk by Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1780. The natural L(+)-enantiomer is produced by lactic acid bacteria during fermentation of milk, vegetables, and grains, giving fermented foods their characteristic tartness.

Modern industrial production proceeds by microbial fermentation of glucose, sucrose, or whey-derived lactose using Lactobacillus species. The fermentation broth is purified through filtration, ion exchange, and concentration to yield 80 to 88 percent food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade material.

Regulated as E270 in the EU, classified as Generally Recognized as Safe by the U.S. FDA, listed in BP, USP, EP, and JP pharmacopoeias, and approved by JECFA without a numerical Acceptable Daily Intake limit.

The molecule has a single chiral center, with the L(+)-form being the natural enantiomer found in fermented foods and human metabolism, and the D(-)-form being the inverse stereoisomer. Most commercial Lactic Acid is the L(+)-enantiomer or DL-racemic, with the choice driven by application requirements.

Strategic value in food applications combines four properties: mild sourness that does not dominate the sensory profile, natural-source positioning derived from fermentation production, broad antimicrobial activity that contributes to shelf life, and pH buffering across the 3 to 5 range characteristic of fermented foods.

• Dairy products: yogurt, cottage cheese, and direct-set process cheese; the natural acid of dairy fermentation
• Pickled vegetables, sauerkraut, and fermented condiments
• Brewing and fermentation pH control
• Bakery products: sourdough flavoring and bread crumb pH adjustment
• Cured meats: salami, pepperoni, and fermented sausage applications
• Beverages including kombucha, fermented teas, and probiotic drinks
• Confectionery: hard candies and chewy candies, particularly where mild sourness is desired
• Cosmetics and personal-care products including chemical exfoliants and pH adjusters
• Pharmaceutical formulations including dialysis solutions and parenteral nutrition
• Pet food and animal feed pH control