Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate (SSL) is an anionic dough conditioner and emulsifier produced by reacting stearic acid with lactic acid and partially neutralising with sodium hydroxide. It carries the E number E481 in the European Union.
The molecule is the sodium salt of the partial ester of stearoyl-2-lactylate. It is a cream-coloured powder or paste with a melting range of 45 to 50 degrees Celsius. SSL is the standard dough conditioner of the modern bread industry, used in sandwich breads, hamburger buns, and refrigerated dough applications worldwide.
We source bulk Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are in Henan, Guangdong and Zhejiang. For this ingredient the minimum order is 500 kg and a 20-foot container takes 15 MT, and 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
- Minimum order
- 500 kg
- Qty in 20' FCL
- 15 MT
- Packaging
- 25 kg kraft paper bag with PE inner liner
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White to slightly yellowish powder or brittle solid with characteristic odor |
| Acid Value | 60 to 90 mg KOH/g |
| Ester Value | 150 to 200 mg KOH/g |
| Sodium content | 3.5% to 5.0% |
| Total lactic acid | 26.0% to 34.0% |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | ≤ 10 mg/kg |
| Lead | ≤ 2 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤ 3 mg/kg |
| Mercury | ≤ 1 mg/kg |
| Cadmium | ≤ 1 mg/kg |
| Particle size | Per customer specification |
Common Markets Grades
SSL is graded by lactic acid content, sodium content, and free fatty acid level.
Standard food grade meets the JECFA specification with total lactic acid 32 to 38 percent, ester value 90 to 190, acid value 60 to 80, and sodium content 3.5 to 5 percent.
Bakery grade comes as a fine free-flowing powder for direct addition to flour or dough.
Spray-dried agglomerated grade has improved cold-water dispersibility and is preferred for instant bread mixes and dry premixes.
Co-spray-dried blends with distilled monoglycerides sell as combined bakery improvers, the SSL component strengthening the dough and the monoglyceride component softening the crumb.
Plant-source stearic acid (palm, soy, or sunflower) is the standard supply route; Kosher, Halal, and RSPO-certified palm grades are widely available.
Applications
- Pan bread, sandwich bread, and burger buns as a dough conditioner and crumb softener
- Frozen dough, parbaked breads, and refrigerated biscuit dough for stability and softness
- Tortillas, flatbreads, and pita for rollability and shelf-life
- Cake mixes, sponge cakes, and pound cakes as an aeration emulsifier
- Pancake and waffle mixes for batter stability and crispness
- Whipped toppings and aerosol creams as a foam stabiliser
- Dehydrated potato products as a rehydration aid and texture improver
- Pre-cooked rice and instant noodles to reduce stickiness
- Pasta production for cooking quality and reduced surface stickiness
- Meat-extender products and processed meats as an emulsion stabiliser
- Coffee whiteners and powdered creamers as a co-emulsifier
- Snack foods and crackers for release and dough machinability
Brands Using Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
Widely-distributed consumer products that list Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate on the ingredient label.
- Sara LeeClassic Pound Cake ↗Listed: 'CONTAINS 2% OR LESS: SALT, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, BAKING SODA, SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, GUAR GUM, XANTHAN GUM, NATURAL FLAVOR, SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, ANNATTO, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, WHEAT STARCH, SOY LECITHIN.'Label verified 2026-05-24
- Entenmann'sMarble Loaf Cake ↗SmartLabel ingredients page lists sodium stearoyl lactylate as an emulsifier/flour treatment agent in Entenmann's Marble Loaf Cake.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Kellogg'sPop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry Made with Whole Grain ↗Kellogg's SmartLabel page lists sodium stearoyl lactylate among ingredients for Pop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry.Label verified 2026-05-24
- PillsburyGrands! Cinnamon Rolls with Original Icing ↗Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls ingredient list includes sodium stearoyl lactylate as a dough conditioner.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 Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
Top Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate manufacturers in China.
GU (Guangzhou) Additive Co., Ltd.10 ingredients in the directory- Guangdong Cardlo Biotechnology Co., Ltd.10 ingredients in the directory
Henan Chemsino Industry Co., Ltd.7 ingredients in the directory
Henan Honest Food Co., Ltd.2 ingredients in the directory- Landfood Biotechnology (Henan) Co., Ltd.9 ingredients in the directory
Zhejiang Golden Palm Technology Co., Ltd.12 ingredients in the directory
Zhengzhou Dahe Food S&T Co., Ltd.6 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 Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
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 Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate 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 Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate together with other ingredients such as Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids, Non-Dairy Creamer and Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.
Regulatory Status
Sodium stearoyl lactylate is approved as a food additive in essentially every regulated market.
In the European Union it carries the E number E481 and is permitted in bread, cakes, dehydrated potato products, breakfast cereals, and similar applications under Regulation 1333/2008 with category-specific maximum levels typically between 3 and 5 g/kg. The European Food Safety Authority re-evaluated stearoyl lactylates in 2019 and confirmed the existing group acceptable daily intake.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration permits sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate as a food additive under 21 CFR 172.846 with category-specific use limits in bread, rolls, cake mixes, prepared mixes, snack dips, and dehydrated potato.
JECFA assigned the stearoyl lactylates group an ADI in 1973. Pharmacopoeial monographs appear in USP-NF.
Kosher and Halal certifications are widely available when stearic acid sourcing is documented.
Manufacturing Process
SSL is produced by reacting lactic acid with stearic acid in the presence of sodium hydroxide.
The process begins with self-condensation of lactic acid to a poly-lactic acid mixture, typically with an average degree of polymerisation of about 2 (lactoyl-2-lactate). Stearic acid is then added and the mixture heated to 180 to 200 degrees Celsius under nitrogen with continuous water removal. The stearic acid esterifies with the terminal hydroxyl of the lactic acid chain.
Sodium hydroxide is added in measured amount to neutralise the free carboxyl groups, producing the sodium salt of stearoyl-2-lactylate. The amount of sodium hydroxide controls the degree of neutralisation and is the main control for tuning functional behaviour.
After neutralisation the molten product is cooled, flaked, and milled to powder. Particle size is controlled by sieving for the target application: fine powder (200 to 400 micron) for direct flour addition, coarser granules (500 to 1000 micron) for dry premixes that require flowability without segregation.
An alternative spray-drying route using a co-emulsifier system gives an agglomerated free-flowing powder with much better cold-water dispersibility, used in instant pancake mixes and ready-to-use bakery improvers.
