Calcium Lactate
The short version
A mild calcium salt — fortifier, firming agent, and the second ingredient in spherification reverse-set.
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Where it comes from
Produced by neutralizing lactic acid (E270) with calcium carbonate or hydroxide. Industrial lactic acid is mainly from bacterial fermentation of carbohydrates.
How it's used
Used to fortify foods with calcium (more soluble and better-absorbed than calcium carbonate), to firm canned and pickled vegetables, in tofu coagulation, and as the calcium source in cheese standardization. In molecular gastronomy, central to reverse-spherification (calcium-rich liquid dropped into alginate bath).
Safety profile
ADI not specified — well-tolerated. Pleasant neutral taste at typical use levels. Excess calcium intake from supplements (not from food levels) is the only practical concern.
Physical & chemical properties
White or cream-colored crystalline powder. Soluble in water; insoluble in ethanol. Mildly alkaline solution. Less salty-bitter than calcium chloride (E509).
Regulation worldwide
Permitted globally without restrictive limits.
Educational information only. Not medical or dietary advice.