Calcium lactate
A calcium salt of lactic acid, used to keep fruit firm, regulate acidity, and add calcium to foods.
What is it?
Calcium lactate is the calcium salt of lactic acid, a naturally occurring organic acid produced by fermentation. It is a white crystalline powder made by reacting lactic acid with calcium carbonate or calcium hydroxide. Lactic acid itself is produced in the body during muscle activity and is present in fermented foods such as yoghurt, cheese, and sourdough bread.
What does it do?
In food, calcium lactate works in several ways depending on the application. As an acidity regulator it buffers the pH of a product to keep flavour and texture stable. As a firming agent it reacts with pectin in plant cell walls, maintaining the structure of cut or processed fruit and vegetables. In baking it acts as a leavening component alongside bicarbonate of soda, releasing carbon dioxide steadily when wet. It is also used to fortify foods with bioavailable calcium.
Where you will see it
Most commonly found in fresh-cut and pre-packaged fruit and salad leaves to preserve crispness, tinned vegetables, baked goods such as bread rolls and muffins, infant formula, some calcium-fortified drinks, and certain chewing gums. On a UK ingredient label it appears as either 'calcium lactate' or 'E327'.
What the science says
Calcium bioavailability
Calcium lactate releases calcium in the gut and has been studied as a dietary calcium source, particularly in fortified foods and supplements. Its absorption rate is broadly comparable to calcium from dairy, making it a practical fortification ingredient. No adverse effects from its use as a food additive have been identified in the scientific literature at levels used in food.
EFSA's Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources (ANS) reviewed calcium lactate and concluded it raises no safety concern at the levels used in food.
Calcium from calcium lactate is absorbed via the same intestinal pathways as calcium from dairy foods and has been used in clinical studies as a reference calcium supplement.
Lactic acid produced in the body
The body produces and metabolises lactic acid continuously during normal cell function. Calcium lactate ingested from food is broken down into calcium ions and lactate, both of which are normal constituents of the bloodstream. Regulatory authorities have consistently found no reason to set a numerical acceptable daily intake because the compound is indistinguishable metabolically from substances already present in the body.
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) evaluated calcium lactate and allocated it an ADI of 'not specified', indicating no health concern at levels used in food.
Where it stands with the regulators
Who should be careful
People with diagnosed lactose intolerance do not need to avoid calcium lactate: it contains no lactose. People with a genuine allergy to lactic acid or its salts (extremely rare) should look for 'calcium lactate' or 'E327' on the label. No other group has a specific reason to avoid it.
The honest read
Calcium lactate is one of the more well-established and ordinary additives in the food supply. Lactic acid and its salts have been produced by fermentation for thousands of years and are present naturally in many foods. Regulators in the UK, EU, and internationally have reviewed it multiple times and found no basis for concern, which is why no numerical daily limit has been set. The science here is settled and consistent.
Related additives
Common questions
Is E327 banned in the UK?
No. Calcium lactate is approved for use in the UK under the assimilated EU Regulation 1333/2008 and appears on the FSA's list of permitted food additives.
Is calcium lactate the same as lactose?
No. Lactose is a sugar found in milk. Calcium lactate is a calcium salt of lactic acid and contains no lactose. People with lactose intolerance can consume calcium lactate without the digestive effects associated with lactose.
What foods contain E327?
Fresh-cut and bagged fruit and salad leaves, tinned vegetables, bread and baked rolls, infant formula, calcium-fortified juices and plant milks, and chewing gum are among the most common sources.
Is E327 vegan?
Yes. Calcium lactate is produced by fermenting a carbohydrate source (such as sugar beet or corn) with bacteria to make lactic acid, then reacting it with a calcium salt. No animal-derived ingredients are required in current commercial production, and it is widely listed as vegan by certifying bodies.
Sources
- FSA approved additives and E numbers - E327 Calcium lactate
- Food Standards Agency: Approved additives and E numbers
- EFSA ANS Panel re-evaluation of lactic acid and lactates (E 270, E 325, E 326, E 327) as food additives
- JECFA monograph: Calcium lactate
- Calcium lactate - Wikipedia
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