Potassium Lactate

The potassium salt of lactic acid, supplied as a 60 percent aqueous solution. The dominant low-sodium alternative to sodium lactate in cured meat and poultry processing, providing equivalent antimicrobial and pH-control function with potassium fortification rather than sodium load.

Clear, colorless to slightly yellow viscous liquid. Miscible with water in all proportions. Mildly alkaline in solution.

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

Common market grades include Standard Food Grade 60 percent solution (FCC compliant), Pharmaceutical Grade meeting BP/USP/EP specifications, Meat Processing Grade with optimized handling characteristics, and Sodium-Reduction Blend co-formulated with sodium lactate for partial sodium replacement.

Bulk shipments in tankers, IBC totes, and drums. Batch-level COA covering assay, free lactic acid, heavy metals, chloride, sulphate, and microbiology.

Potassium Lactate is produced industrially by neutralizing lactic acid with potassium hydroxide or potassium carbonate, followed by concentration to the standard 60 percent solution. The starting lactic acid is produced by Lactobacillus fermentation of glucose or sucrose.

Like sodium lactate, the compound is supplied as a liquid solution because the dry salt is strongly hygroscopic and impractical to handle as a powder.

Regulated as E326 in the EU, classified as Generally Recognized as Safe by the U.S. FDA, listed in BP, USP, and EP pharmacopoeias, and approved by JECFA without a numerical Acceptable Daily Intake limit.

The compound provides functionally equivalent performance to sodium lactate in meat preservation applications: same antimicrobial action against Listeria monocytogenes, same pH buffering, same shelf-life extension. The choice between the two salts is driven by sodium-reduction targets and potassium-fortification positioning rather than by functional differences.

The compound is often used in combination with sodium lactate rather than as a complete replacement: a typical formulation might use 50 percent sodium lactate and 50 percent potassium lactate to achieve a 50 percent sodium reduction while retaining the established meat-processing dose protocols. Full replacement is also practiced where complete sodium reduction is required, though potassium intake limits must be considered for at-risk consumer groups.

• Reduced-sodium cured and uncured meat and poultry products as a sodium-lactate replacement
• Listeria and pathogen control in ready-to-eat meats where sodium reduction is a marketing or regulatory requirement
• Reduced-sodium cheese and processed cheese manufacturing
• Low-sodium sauces, dressings, and condiments
• Sports drinks and electrolyte beverages with potassium positioning
• Pharmaceutical electrolyte replacement solutions
• Hemodialysis solutions
• Cosmetic products as a humectant and pH adjuster
• Pet food and clinical nutrition for reduced-sodium positioning