Ethyl Lactate
Ethyl Lactate is a colourless, low-toxicity liquid with a mild, creamy, slightly buttery aroma and a soft fruity undertone.
The molecule has the formula C₅H₁₀O₃ and is the ethyl ester of lactic acid. It occurs naturally at trace levels in wine, beer, and aged dairy products and is one of the few green solvents that double as a recognised flavour substance.
We source bulk Ethyl Lactate from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are in Henan. A smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.
Please send the grade you need, the volume and your destination port, and we will come back with a solution and a price.
or call +86-21-6858 0751
- Packaging
- 250 kg plastic drum or 1,000 kg IBC tote
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
Grades / Types Available: Food Grade, Industrial Grade
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear colourless liquid |
| Assay | ≥ 98.0% |
| Specific Gravity (20°C) | 1.030-1.038 |
| Refractive Index | 1.410-1.414 |
| Moisture | ≤ 0.5% |
| Acidity (as lactic acid) | ≤ 0.5% |
| Colour (APHA) | ≤ 20 |
| Purity/Assay | ≥ 99% (Food Grade) |
| Viscosity | 1.2 mPa·s (Food Grade) |
| Moisture/Loss on Drying | ≤ 0.5% (Food Grade) |
| pH | 5.0 - 7.0 (Food Grade) |
Common Markets Grades
Ethyl Lactate is a clear mobile liquid, shipped in lined steel drums, IBCs, or tank trucks.
The flavour and fragrance grade is 98 to 99 percent assay (FCC, FEMA 2440) with low residual ethanol, lactic acid, and water disclosed on the certificate of analysis.
The food and beverage grade comes as the L (S, natural) enantiomer or as the racemic mixture, with the L form preferred for clean-label applications.
A high-purity solvent grade at 99.5 percent or higher is produced for electronics cleaning, paint stripping, and pharmaceutical formulation.
A bio-based grade, produced from corn or sugarcane fermentation, is produced for green-chemistry, agrochemical, and cosmetic-solvent use, with carbon-source documentation on request.
Applications
- Buttery, creamy, and cultured-dairy flavour profiles for margarine, spreads, and savory snacks
- Wine, sake, and beer flavour reconstruction at low dosage
- Bakery flavours for breads, biscuits, and pastries with a fermented or sourdough note
- Confectionery and chewing gum for soft creamy facets
- Beverage flavour work as a low-volatility carrier for fragile top notes
- Green solvent in industrial cleaning, paint stripping, and graffiti removal
- Coalescing solvent in water-based coatings and inks
- Pharmaceutical solvent for oral and topical formulations
- Cosmetic solvent and carrier in skincare and colour cosmetics
- Agrochemical solvent and adjuvant for crop-protection formulations
- Electronics-grade solvent for photoresist stripping and circuit-board cleaning
China Manufacturers of Ethyl Lactate
Top Ethyl Lactate manufacturers in China.
Henan Jindan Lactic Acid Technology Co., Ltd.6 ingredients in the directory- Henan Kangyuan Flavours Co., Ltd.8 ingredients in the directory
Henan Xinghan Biotechnology Co., Ltd.5 ingredients in the directory
Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.
How We Help Source Ethyl Lactate
Direct Factory Sourcing
We run the whole process: selecting the manufacturer from the top Chinese food ingredient producers, negotiating the price, verifying quality, and coordinating the logistics. You deal with us instead of with several factories at once.
Original Packaging and Documents from the Manufacturer
The manufacturer sends your Ethyl Lactate out of its own factory in the original packing, through to your destination port. The COA, COO, MSDS, TDS and any certifications reach you from the manufacturer as well.
Free Samples and Lead Time
We send 100 to 500 g free for your own laboratory to test and you cover only the courier, usually within 2 to 3 working days. ETD is usually within 7 to 15 days once the order is confirmed, and we check that date against the factory's own manufacturing schedule before we give it to you.
Combined Shipment
We can load Ethyl Lactate together with other ingredients such as Capsicum Oleoresin, Ethyl Maltol and White Pepper into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.
Regulatory Status
Ethyl Lactate is approved as a flavouring substance and as a food-grade solvent in the major regulated markets.
In the United States it is FEMA 2440 and GRAS by FEMA. The FDA permits it under 21 CFR 172.515 for direct addition to food as a synthetic flavouring substance, and the EPA classifies it as a low-toxicity solvent acceptable for food-contact and consumer applications.
In the European Union it carries FL number 09.027 on the Union list of flavouring substances. JECFA has cleared it within the aliphatic acyclic ester group.
It is registered under REACH, listed on TSCA, and sold with Halal and Kosher certifications. Bio-based grades typically carry USDA BioPreferred certification.
The compound is not classified as a fragrance allergen under the EU Cosmetics Regulation. SDS coverage addresses its flammability and mild eye-irritation potential in concentrated form.
Manufacturing Process
The dominant industrial route is the catalytic esterification of lactic acid with ethanol. The reaction is driven by continuous removal of water through reactive distillation, and the crude ester is then refined to specification.
Most commercial lactic acid feedstock now comes from the controlled fermentation of corn or sugarcane sugars by Lactobacillus or engineered Bacillus strains. The downstream ethanol can also be bio-based, which means the finished ester can carry a fully bio-based carbon footprint.
An alternative direct route condenses ethanol vapor with lactic acid over a solid acid catalyst in a packed column, giving continuous production without batch handling.
For flavour and pharmaceutical use the product is polished by activated-carbon treatment and final distillation to remove colour bodies and trace acid that would shift the sensory profile.
