Potassium lactate

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Food poisoning bacteria in meat⁴

  In lab studies, potassium lactate slowed the growth of a food poisoning germ in turkey.

How it’s made and used

• Fish shelf life³

  Potassium lactate, mixed with potassium acetate, helped catfish fillets last longer in the fridge and taste better to consumers.

• Food poisoning bacteria in fish⁵

  In lab tests, potassium lactate with sodium diacetate slowed Listeria growth in cold-smoked salmon for up to 42 days.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.

Expert panels that weigh all the research. Shown for context: the signal at the top does not count them.

• UN and WHO food additive experts (JECFA), 1974

  No daily limit needed (“ADI not specified”, JECFA’s term for very low toxicity).