I-Menthyl Lactate
I-Menthyl Lactate is a white crystalline solid or pale yellow viscous liquid (depending on form) with a very faint, slightly minty odour and a strong, long-lasting cooling effect on skin and mucosa without the sharpness of free menthol.
The compound has the molecular formula C₁₃H₂₄O₃ and CAS number 17162-29-7. It is the L-menthyl ester of L-lactic acid and is widely used as a physiological cooling agent in oral-care, personal-care, and confectionery products.
We source bulk I-Menthyl Lactate from top China manufacturers for our partners. The manufacturer is in Anhui. 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 galvanised drum, nitrogen blanketed
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
Grades / Types Available: Food grade, water soluble
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Colourless to pale yellow liquid |
| Assay | ≥ 97.0% |
| Specific Gravity (20°C) | 0.990-1.000 |
| Refractive Index | 1.448-1.453 |
| Heavy Metals (as Pb) | ≤ 10 mg/kg |
| Purity | >99 % |
| Acidity (KOH) (mg/kg) | ≤2mg/g |
| Arsenic | ≤3 mg/kg |
Common Markets Grades
There are three grades of I-Menthyl Lactate: cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical.
The cosmetic and personal-care grade carries a minimum assay of 95 percent, with free menthol below 2 percent, and comes as a soft solid or melt-cast flake.
The food and oral-care grade meets the Food Chemicals Codex specification at a minimum assay of 98 percent, with tighter limits on free menthol, free lactic acid, water, and colour.
A high-purity grade above 99 percent is produced for premium oral-care, lozenge, and pharmaceutical applications. The substance is commonly traded under the original Takasago brand name Frescolat ML.
Applications
- Toothpaste, mouthwash, and oral-care products for prolonged cooling without menthol sharpness
- Lozenges, breath mints, and chewing gum for sustained cooling sensation
- Throat sprays and cough lozenges as a mild soothing agent
- Aftershave lotions, post-shave balms, and shaving foams
- Antiperspirant and deodorant compositions for a fresh skin feel
- Sun-care and after-sun products to reduce subjective heat sensation
- Sports-recovery creams, sprays, and gels for cooling relief
- Lip balm, lip gloss, and lip plumping products
- Shampoo and hair-care products for a scalp-cooling effect
- Topical analgesic patches and gels in combination with menthol or capsaicin
- Face masks, toners, and refreshing skincare formats
- Confectionery applications including hard candy and chewy candy for cool finish
Brands Using I-Menthyl Lactate
Widely-distributed consumer products that list I-Menthyl Lactate on the ingredient label.
- Tom's of MaineWhiten+ with Coconut Oil Fluoride Free Gentle Mint Toothpaste ↗Listed in Tom's of Maine Flavor Disclosure as a product containing menthyl lactate (cooling flavour ingredient).Label verified 2026-05-24
- Tom's of MaineFluoride-Free Antiplaque & Whitening Peppermint SLS Free Toothpaste ↗Listed on Tom's of Maine Flavor Disclosure page as containing 'menthyl lactate'.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 I-Menthyl Lactate
Top I-Menthyl Lactate manufacturers in China.
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 I-Menthyl 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 I-Menthyl 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 I-Menthyl 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
I-Menthyl Lactate is accepted in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical use across major regulated markets.
FEMA has assigned GRAS number 3748 for use as a flavour and cooling agent in food. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration permits the substance as a synthetic flavouring agent under 21 CFR 172.515.
The European Food Safety Authority evaluated the molecule within flavouring group FGE.41 and concluded that no safety concern arises at typical use levels. It carries FL number 09.815 in the Union list of flavourings.
For cosmetic use the substance is listed in the EU CosIng database and the Personal Care Products Council monograph as Menthyl Lactate, with no restriction on use level.
Japan and Korea permit the substance in both food and cosmetic applications. Reference standards exist from major analytical suppliers.
Manufacturing Process
I-Menthyl Lactate is produced by esterification of L-menthol with L-lactic acid or with a lactic acid derivative.
The original Takasago process, developed and patented in the 1980s, uses direct esterification of L-menthol with L-lactic acid under acid catalysis with azeotropic removal of water. Careful temperature control is needed to avoid menthol dehydration and to prevent racemization of the lactic acid chiral centre.
An alternative route uses lactide (the cyclic dimer of lactic acid) as an activated acyl donor with L-menthol and a mild Lewis acid catalyst. This route gives faster reaction kinetics and easier colour control but requires a more expensive feedstock.
An enzymatic route using immobilized lipase under solvent-free conditions is used for natural-grade material destined for natural-positioned oral and personal care.
The crude ester is washed, neutralised, dried, and either fractionally distilled under reduced pressure or crystallised from a hydrocarbon solvent. The product is produced either as a melt-cast flake or as a refined liquid concentrate.
