L-lactic acid

L-Lactic acid (CAS 79-33-4) is the naturally occurring, single-enantiomer form of lactic acid, produced commercially through fermentation of carbohydrate feedstocks.

Where is L-lactic acid used?

• Food and beverage: acidulant and preservative in pickled vegetables, dairy alternatives, meat preparations and ready-to-eat meals
• Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical: pH adjustment in topical preparations and oral solutions
• Chiral building block in API synthesis
• Personal care: exfoliating creams, toners and moisturizing formulations
• Leather processing and textile finishing: bath pH control and mild acidulant during dyeing and tanning
• In food and beverage production it acidifies and preserves products.
• In enology, used as an acidity regulator and sapidity enhancer.
• More suitable for foods where the original flavor is to be kept unchanged.
• Raw material for polylactic acid, a biodegradable plastic, and for polyester polyols.
• Used in the formulation of environmentally friendly cleaning products.

Good to know: Clean-label fermentation-derived sourcing may be a specification requirement. USP and BP quality standards apply for medical applications.

Formulation notes

• On musts, the maximum dosage is 190 ml/hl.
• On wines, the maximum dosage is 315 ml/hl.

Typical specification

• Food grade solutions are available at 80%, 80% heat stable, 88%, 88% heat stable, and 90% heat stable.
• Offered in personal care, pharmaceutical starting material, technical and biocidal grades.
• The lactic acid content is specified between 87.1 and 92.4 wt.%.

Regulatory status

• Customs tariff code is 2918 11 00 80.

Storage, packaging and handling

• Store at 55 to 35 °C.

Frequently asked questions about L-lactic acid

For which biocidal product types is L-lactic acid approved in the EU?

It is approved as an active substance in the EU for product types 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 under the Biocidal Products Regulation (EU) 528/2012.

How is L-lactic acid added to a solution or mass to be treated?

It is added directly to the solution under agitation or homogenized with the mass to be treated.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.