Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Lactic acid
Lactic acid is an acid in the acidic family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2611 (CAS 10326-41-7). Its odor is sour, tangy, dairy, fermented.
- FEMA
- 2611
- CAS
- 10326-41-7
- JECFA
- 930
- EU FL
- 08.004
- Formula
- C3H6O3
- EC
- 200-018-0
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 50-21-5.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Propanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, (2R)-, Lactic acid, D-, Propanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, (R)-, (2R)-2-Hydroxypropanoic acid, D-Lactic acid, D-(-)-Lactic acid, (R)-Lactic acid, l-Lactic acid, (R)-α-Hydroxypropionic acid, (-)-Lactic acid, (R)-(-)-Lactic acid, (R)-2-Hydroxypropanoic acid.
Can Lactic acid be labeled natural?
The process decides for lactic acid. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic lactic acid is artificial. In the EU and UK the natural claim likewise needs the natural route, while Mercosur and Mexico keep a third class, identical-to-natural, for the synthetic material.
- United States
- Natural or artificial, by process
- European Union and UK
- Natural only from natural material
- Mercosur and Mexico
- Natural or identical-to-natural
How each market defines the classes: natural vs artificial flavor under 21 CFR 101.22.
Regulatory status, with citations
United States
Lactic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2611. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 184.1061.
European Union and United Kingdom
Listed on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 08.004, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 930, evaluated at the 57th meeting in 2001. NOT LIMITED (1973).
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list. Listed on the EPA TSCA inventory.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Lactic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 10326-41-7, where EPA names it Propanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, (2R)-.
Active in US commerce
EPA designates this substance active, so no Notice of Activity Form B is required before manufacturing. What active and inactive mean.
EPA regulatory flags
| Flag | EPA definition | What it obliges |
|---|---|---|
| PMN | Indicates a commenced PMN substance. | Nothing new. The substance already went through premanufacture review and someone filed a notice of commencement, which is why it is on the Inventory. It is an existing chemical and needs no new premanufacture notice. Read more |
PMN does not establish: The flag records how the substance arrived, not what may be done with it. Check the flags beside it.
From the EPA non-confidential TSCA Inventory, July 2026 release. EPA also maintains a confidential portion it does not publish. Search the Inventory by CAS number.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sour, tangy, dairy, fermented.
Where it is used
Lactic acid is used in dairy, beverage, sauces and condiments, typically as a acidic note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Lactic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| L-Alanine | 3818 | 95% | In nature |
| Propionic acid | 2924 | 95% | In nature |
| Pyruvic acid | 2970 | 94% | In nature |
More acids in this index
Aconitic acid · Pyruvic acid · Succinic acid · Acetic acid · Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- · L-Malic Acid
Lactic acid FAQ
Does lactic acid have FEMA GRAS status?
Lactic acid holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 2611. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 184.1061.
How do I cite lactic acid by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite lactic acid as FEMA 2611 or CAS 10326-41-7; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is acidic.
What does lactic acid smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of lactic acid is sour, tangy, dairy, fermented. Typical uses are dairy, beverage, sauces and condiments.
What did JECFA conclude about lactic acid?
JECFA evaluated lactic acid at the 57th meeting in 2001 under JECFA number 930. The panel concluded: NOT LIMITED (1973).
Can lactic acid be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 08.004 is the Union List entry for lactic acid, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can lactic acid be labeled a natural flavor?
Nature makes lactic acid, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial lactic acid, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic lactic acid identical-to-natural.
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Sources and attribution. The identity and regulatory facts on this page are taken from the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory, a US government record, which lists this substance as LACTIC ACID under CAS 50-21-5 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number and its 21 CFR citations. The inventory is searchable at FDA. FDA records its technical effect as antimicrobial agent, curing or pickling agent, flavor enhancer, flavoring agent or adjuvant, ph control agent, solvent or vehicle.
A FEMA GRAS conclusion is reached by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States, and the FEMA number names that conclusion. FEMA publishes its own entry for this substance in the FEMA Flavor Library, which is the authoritative record of what the Panel decided and is worth reading alongside this page.
Ambrose Compliance is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by FEMA. FEMA and FEMA GRAS are used here as identifiers for a published regulatory determination, not as marks of any relationship between FEMA and Ambrose.
About this page. Facts come from the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory, the Code of Federal Regulations, the EPA TSCA Inventory, the EU Union List, JECFA and the Ambrose database, with FEMA's published determination cited where it applies; parts of the text are written by Ambrose AI, which can make mistakes. Check the cited source before relying on anything here. This is not regulatory or legal advice.