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Lactic Acid
Lactic Acid
Lactic Acid
What is it:
Lactic acid is a food additive commonly used as an acidity regulator and preservative in various food products. It inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria and extends the shelf life of certain foods, such as pickles, sauces, and dressings. It is produced through a fermentation process, where certain carbohydrates, such as glucose or sucrose, are fermented by specific strains of bacteria, such as Lactobacillus species. The human body naturally makes lactic acid when it breaks down carbohydrates for energy. Lactic acid is also used in cosmetic applications.
Rating:
Lactic acid is naturally occurring in nature and is produced for food preservation in a natural fermentation process. It has powerful anti-fungal properties that can help protect against harmful pathogens in foods, in a more natural way than some synthetically produced preservatives. There is no research showing it to be harmful to humans or animals.
Resources:
- Production of lactic acid (comparative study)
- Anti-fungal properties of lactic acid (review)
- Role of lactic acid in food preservation and safety (review)
- Lactic acid for the preservation of produce (review)
- Lactic acid protects against mycotoxins frequently found in food (in vitro study)
- EFSA safety and efficacy of lactic acid used in animal feed
How we rate ingredients
Health is like a bank account, certain ingredients make a deposit into your health bank, meaning they add to
your health. Certain ingredients withdraw from your health bank. We want health promoting ingredients in our diet. To keep things simple, we rate ingredients on a green, yellow, red scale:
Clean
It is naturally occurring in food and has no harmful effects on the body. It is real food. It is health promoting.
Caution
It goes into one or more of the below categories
- It is not naturally occurring in food but doesn’t have data showing it has a harmful effect on the body (additives like Gellan Gum)
- It is naturally occurring but can have some harmful effects on the body (added sugars, oils, gums etc.)
We Avoid
It is known to have a harmful effect on the body (ex. All food colorings, Natural Flavors, MSG, Potassium bromate, aspartame, artificial flavors)
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