Lactic acid - 50-21-5

Key Functions: Food Contact & Additives, Solvents & Cleaning, Textile Applications

Lactic acid is an organic acid obtained synthetically or through the fermentation of carbohydrates. It is a high production volume (HPV) chemical in the United States. It is mainly used as an acidulant in food, beverages and bakery products. Additionally, it has been used in the textile and leather industry, in oil well acidizing, as an intermediate material for calcium lactate, sodium lactate and emulsifiers, and as a veterinary medication. Lactic acid occurs in sour milk, molasses, apples and other fruits, beer and wines. It is a principal metabolic intermediate in most living organisms and a constituent in animal blood and muscle tissues (HSDB 2006). The CAS # 50-21-5 refers to the racemic mixture of L (+) and L (-) lactic acid. Most of the suppliers of lactic acid only manufacture the natural form of lactic acid, L (+) lactic acid (CAS # 79-33-4), and most available hazard data are for this form. As a result, data on L (+) lactic acid are used to fill the data gaps (U.S. EPA 2008).

Chemical Synonyms 2-Hydroxypropanoic acid; 2-Hydroxypropionic acid; DL-Lactic acid; Lactic acid [USP:JAN]; Lactic acid, dl-; Propanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-; (+-)-2-Hydroxypropanoic acid; (RS)-2-Hydroxypropionsaeure; 1-Hydroxyethanecarboxylic acid; 2-Hydroxypropanoic acid; 2-Hydroxypropionic acid; EINECS 200-018-0; EINECS 209-954-4; Ethylidenelactic acid; Lactate; Lactic acid (natural); Lactic acid USP; Milk acid; Ordinary lactic acid; Propionic acid, 2-hydroxy-; Racemic lactic acid (ChemIDplus 2013)

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