Skip to content

GREENVEIL

  • food

Lactic acid

CAS 598-82-3 · 60/100 · High conf.

Concern score

60/100High concern based on regulatory listings.
High confidence

Lactic acid in plain language

What it does

We don't have a plain-language description for Lactic acid yet.

Is it a concern?
High concern: no hazard classifications on record.

Why it's flagged

EFSA OpenFoodTox genotoxicity classification: No data. Source: EFSA AFC 2006

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

No restrictions found. Lactic acid appears in these published regulatory listings.

  • EUEFSAEFSA opinion8 entries
    • Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of lactic acid to reduce microbiological surface contamination on carcases from kangaroos, wild pigs, goats and sheep (EFSA CEP)Source →
    • Safety of lactic acid and calcium lactate when used as technological additives for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)Source →
    • Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the organic acids lactic and acetic acids to reduce microbiological surface contamination on pork carcasses and pork cuts (EFSA CEP)Source →
    • Safety and efficacy of lactic acid and calcium lactate when used as technological additives for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)Source →
    • Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E 481) and calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E 482) as food additives (EFSA ANS)Source →
    • Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of primary aliphatic saturated or unsaturated alcohols/aldehydes/acids/acetals/esters with a second primary, secondary or tertiary oxygenated functional group including aliphatic lactones (chemical group 9) when used as flavourings for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)Source →
    • Scientific Opinion on Flavouring Group Evaluation 96 (FGE.96): Consideration of 88 flavouring substances considered by EFSA for which EU production volumes / anticipated production volumes have been submitted on request by DG SANCO. Addendum to FGE. 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 58, 61, 62, 63, 64, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73, 76, 77, 79, 80, 83, 84, 85 and 87 (EFSA CEF)Source →
    • Flavouring Group Evaluation 64 (FGE.64): Consideration of aliphatic acyclic diols, triols, and related substances evaluated by JECFA (57th meeting) structurally related to aliphatic primary and secondary saturated and unsaturated alcohols, aldehydes, acetals, carboxylic acids and esters containing an additional oxygenated functional group and lactones from chemical groups 9, 13 and 30 evaluated by EFSA in FGE.10Rev1 (EFSA, 2008ab). Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (AFC) (EFSA AFC)Source →
  • EUEFSAEFSA statementStatement of the Scientific Panel of Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food on a request from the European Commission concerning the use of lactic acid and sodium lactate and sodium lactate for poultry carcass decontamination (EFSA AFC)
    • Statement of the Scientific Panel of Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food on a request from the European Commission concerning the use of lactic acid and sodium lactate and sodium lactate for poultry carcass decontamination (EFSA AFC)Source →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

  • JECFA

    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives

    No JECFA evaluation on file.

  • EFSA

    European Food Safety Authority

    • Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of lactic acid to reduce microbiological surface contamination on carcases from kangaroos, wild pigs, goats and sheep (EFSA CEP)

      2022 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Safety of lactic acid and calcium lactate when used as technological additives for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)

      2019 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the organic acids lactic and acetic acids to reduce microbiological surface contamination on pork carcasses and pork cuts (EFSA CEP)

      2018 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Safety and efficacy of lactic acid and calcium lactate when used as technological additives for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)

      2015 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E 481) and calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E 482) as food additives (EFSA ANS)

      2013 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of primary aliphatic saturated or unsaturated alcohols/aldehydes/acids/acetals/esters with a second primary, secondary or tertiary oxygenated functional group including aliphatic lactones (chemical group 9) when used as flavourings for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)

      2012 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Scientific Opinion on Flavouring Group Evaluation 96 (FGE.96): Consideration of 88 flavouring substances considered by EFSA for which EU production volumes / anticipated production volumes have been submitted on request by DG SANCO. Addendum to FGE. 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 58, 61, 62, 63, 64, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73, 76, 77, 79, 80, 83, 84, 85 and 87 (EFSA CEF)

      2011 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Flavouring Group Evaluation 64 (FGE.64): Consideration of aliphatic acyclic diols, triols, and related substances evaluated by JECFA (57th meeting) structurally related to aliphatic primary and secondary saturated and unsaturated alcohols, aldehydes, acetals, carboxylic acids and esters containing an additional oxygenated functional group and lactones from chemical groups 9, 13 and 30 evaluated by EFSA in FGE.10Rev1 (EFSA, 2008ab). Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (AFC) (EFSA AFC)

      2009 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Statement of the Scientific Panel of Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food on a request from the European Commission concerning the use of lactic acid and sodium lactate and sodium lactate for poultry carcass decontamination (EFSA AFC)

      2006 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Lactic acid yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

1 data source

Where this comes from

  • EFSA OpenFoodTox

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-02

    Open →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

No fragrance-linked caution surfaced in the current profile.

Good fit

This ingredient does not currently read as a fragrance-linked driver in the published evidence and hazard profile.

Catalog

Found in these products

Their ingredient lists include Lactic acid; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 1000+ →Find products without it →