Ferrous Lactate
Ferrous Lactate is the iron(II) salt of lactic acid, used as a food fortification iron with mild flavour impact in dairy, cereal, and infant nutrition products.
The compound, CAS 5905-52-2, is generally sold as the trihydrate with formula C6H10FeO6 3H2O. It is a pale greenish-yellow to grey-green powder, mildly soluble in water, and delivers roughly 19 percent elemental iron in its trihydrate form.
We source bulk Ferrous Lactate from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are in Henan and Hubei. 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
- 25 kg kraft paper bag with PE inner liner
- Function
- Mineral salt
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Pale greenish-yellow to grey-green crystalline powder or granules |
| Odour | Odourless or with a slight characteristic odour |
| Identification | Conforms to FCC / JECFA |
| Assay (as C6H10FeO6 3H2O) | 96.0 - 101.0% |
| Total Iron (as Fe) | 18.5 - 20.5% |
| Ferric Iron (as Fe III) | ≤ 0.6% |
| Loss on Drying (100 °C, 4 h) | ≤ 20.0% |
| pH (1% solution, 25 °C) | 5.0 - 6.0 |
| Solubility | Slowly but freely soluble in water; practically insoluble in ethanol |
| Chloride (as Cl) | ≤ 0.1% |
| Sulfate (as SO4) | ≤ 0.1% |
| Lead | ≤ 1 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤ 3 mg/kg |
| Total Plate Count | ≤ 1,000 cfu/g |
| Salmonella | Negative/25g |
Common Markets Grades
Food grade ferrous lactate complies with FCC and JECFA specifications and is the dominant grade on the market. Standard milled and micronized cuts are produced for fortification of cereals, infant formula, and dairy bases.
Pharmaceutical grade material is produced where USP or Ph. Eur. monograph compliance is required, mainly for oral iron preparations and clinical-nutrition products.
Spray-dried and agglomerated grades hydrate quickly in cold water and are preferred for ready-to-drink dairy, plant-based beverages, and instant beverage powders, where slow-dissolving iron salts would leave grit or sediment.
Lipid- or maltodextrin-coated grades suppress the residual metallic note and slow the iron-catalysed oxidation of fats in shelf-stable cereals and bars.
Applications
- Iron fortification of fluid milk, flavoured milks, and yogurt drinks where the chelated iron limits off-flavour development
- Infant formula and follow-on formula as a permitted source of iron
- Fortification of plant-based milks, oat drinks, and soy beverages
- Breakfast cereal premixes and instant cereal bases
- Nutrition bars and meal replacement powders
- Bakery applications, including bread improvers and tortilla flour fortification
- Clinical and tube-feeding nutrition formulas
- Sports and recovery drinks positioned on iron and electrolyte content
- Oral pharmaceutical iron tablets and elixirs in selected markets
- Confectionery and gummy iron formats for pediatric and consumer-friendly delivery
Brands Using Ferrous Lactate
Widely-distributed consumer products that list Ferrous Lactate on the ingredient label.
- HolleHolle Bio Stage 1 Organic Infant Formula (0-6 months) ↗Holle Stage 1 organic cow's-milk infant formula ingredient panel lists Ferrous Lactate as the iron fortificant (alongside other vitamins and minerals); delivers ~0.54 mg iron per 100 ml prepared formula.Label verified 2026-05-24
- HolleHolle PRE Organic Infant Formula ↗Holle PRE (from-birth) organic formula uses iron lactate (ferrous lactate) as its iron fortificant in the official ingredient declaration; chosen for mild taste and dairy compatibility.Label verified 2026-05-24
Brand names, product names and logos are the property of their owners. They appear here as published evidence that the ingredient is used, taken from the brand's own label or website. Their appearance is not an endorsement, and it does not mean the brand buys from us or from any manufacturer listed on this site.
China Manufacturers of Ferrous Lactate
Top Ferrous Lactate manufacturers in China.
- Henan Honghui Biotechnology Co., Ltd.9 ingredients in the directory
Henan Jindan Lactic Acid Technology Co., Ltd.6 ingredients in the directory
Wuhan Sanjiang Space Good Biotech Co., Ltd.4 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 Ferrous 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 Ferrous 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 Ferrous Lactate together with other ingredients such as Sodium Acetate, Calcium Citrate and Sodium Lactate into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.
Regulatory Status
Ferrous Lactate is approved as a food additive and source of iron in essentially all regulated markets.
In the United States it is GRAS for use as a nutrient supplement in food and is listed as a permitted source of iron in dietary supplements and conventional foods.
The European Union assigns it the E number E585 as a permitted colour stabiliser and lists it as a source of iron in food supplements under Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 and in infant and follow-on formulae under Regulation (EU) No 609/2013.
JECFA has evaluated ferrous lactate as a food additive and source of iron.
Pharmacopoeial monographs appear in USP and Ph. Eur. Halal and Kosher certifications are routinely available, and material made from fermentation-derived lactic acid is suitable for vegan labelling.
Manufacturing Process
Industrial synthesis is a direct neutralisation. Aqueous lactic acid is reacted with iron metal (electrolytic iron filings or reduced iron powder) or with freshly precipitated ferrous carbonate. The reaction is run under a nitrogen atmosphere to keep the iron in the +2 oxidation state.
With iron metal, the reaction proceeds with hydrogen evolution at gentle heating until the metal is fully consumed. With ferrous carbonate, carbon dioxide is liberated and the endpoint is reached when effervescence stops.
The greenish liquor is clarified by filtration, concentrated under vacuum, and crystallised on cooling. The trihydrate is collected by centrifugation, washed with deoxygenated water, and dried at low temperature to preserve the hydrate water and the Fe(II) state.
The lactic acid feedstock is typically produced by fermentation of glucose using Lactobacillus strains, making the overall route compatible with non-GMO and vegan labelling claims when the upstream chain is documented.
