What does Sodium lactate do?

Used in food as a thickener, antioxidant synergist, humectant, synergist.

Is Sodium lactate safe?

Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record.

beauty
cleaning
food
industrial

Sodium lactate

CAS 72-17-3 · 40/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 1 other CAS number

312-85-6

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Sodium lactate in plain language

What it is: Also known as Sodium DL-lactate · Propanoic acid, 2-HYDROXY-, monosodium salt · Sodium (lactate) anhydrous · Sodium 2-hydroxypropanoate · 2-Hydroxypropanoic acid monosodium salt · E-325
Show all 27 names
E325 · Ins NO.325 · INS-325 · Lacolin · Lactic acid sodium salt · monosodium salt Lactic acid · Mediject L · Monosodium 2-hydroxypropanoate · Monosodium lactate · Per-glycerin · Purasal Powder S 98JS · Purasal S/HQ 60 · Sodium lactate, (+/-)- · Sodium lactate, (±)- · Sodium alpha-hydroxypropionate · Sodium lactate in plastic container · sodium lactylate · Compound solution of sodium lactate · Natrum lacticum · Sodium lactate solution · SODIUM LACTATE (solution)
What it does: Used in food as a thickener, antioxidant synergist, humectant, synergist.
Thickener, antioxidant synergist, humectant, synergist
Surfactant
Humectant
Chelating agent
pH adjuster
Flavouring
Is it a concern?: Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record.

Why it's flagged

EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 766 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Laboratory supplies, Food and drug.

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. Sodium lactate appears in these published regulatory listings.

In marketed US drugs
Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Beauty
Cleaning
Pharma
Food
Industrial

USFDAinactive ingredient database7 entries — 5 administration routes
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION; Maximum daily exposure: 54 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, POWDER, LYOPHILIZED, FOR SOLUTION; Potency: 18.7 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Potency: 20 mg/1mlSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: GEL; Maximum daily exposure: 4 mgSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 0.93 %w/wSource →
- Route: INTRAPERITONEAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 0.45 %w/vSource →
- Route: INFILTRATION; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Potency: 0.17 %v/vSource →
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 →
GLOBALJECFANOT LIMITEDJECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT LIMITED. Functional class: thickener, antioxidant synergist, humectant, synergist.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT LIMITED. Functional class: thickener, antioxidant synergist, humectant, synergist.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 766 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Laboratory supplies, Food and drug. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Surfactant (surface active agent), Humectant, pH regulating agent.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 766 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Laboratory supplies, Food and drug. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Surfactant (surface active agent), Humectant, pH regulating agent.Source →
USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 56 active drug products and 79 total products.
- FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 56 active drug products and 79 total products.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.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
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT LIMITED. Functional class: thickener, antioxidant synergist, humectant, synergist.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →
EFSA
European Food Safety Authority
- 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 Sodium lactate yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

9 data sources

Where this comes from

EFSA OpenFoodTox
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated november 10, 2014
Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
Open →
FDA Inactive Ingredient Database
regulatory · updated 2026-01-09
Open →
FDA National Drug Code Directory
regulatory · updated 2027-12-31
Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
Open →
WHO JECFA Database
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
openFDA Substance
registry · updated 2026-05-24
Open →
PubChem Live Enrichment
chemistry · updated 2026-05-17
Open →

Reference links (2)

Openfda substance

codexalimentarius.net

Read →

Openfda substance

apps.who.int

Read →

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.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Sodium lactate in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

766

Named organisations

Personal careLaboratory suppliesFood and drugCleaning products and household careBatteries

Typical roles

Thickener, antioxidant synergist, humectant, synergistSurfactantHumectantChelating agentpH adjusterFlavouring

See products using Sodium lactate →

Catalog

Found in these products

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

See all 472 →Find products without it →