Potassium lactate

INS 326CAS 996-31-6

Used as an antioxidant — Codex also lists it as acidity regulator, emulsifier, humectant.

Potassium lactate is a preservative and humectant used in processed meats where sodium is being reduced. It is not a dairy ingredient despite the name.

Where it is and isn’t permitted

Status of Potassium lactate by jurisdiction. Every jurisdiction this site covers is listed, including those where the substance does not appear.
JurisdictionStatusScope and limitsCitation
United StatesFood and Drug AdministrationPermitted21 CFR 184.1639retrieved 2026-09-07
Codex AlimentariusCodex Alimentarius Commission / JECFAPermitted, with conditions

6 food categories

no numerical limit (good manufacturing practice)

Show every food category
  • 01.1.3 Fluid Buttermilk (plain) — GMP
  • 01.2.1.2 Fermented milks (plain), heat-treated after fermentation — GMP
  • 01.4.1 Pasteurized cream (plain) — GMP
  • 01.4.2 Sterilized and UHT creams, whipping and whipped creams, and reduced fat creams (plain) — GMP
  • 09.2.5 Smoked, dried, fermented, and/or salted fish and fish products, including molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms — GMP
  • 13.2 Complementary foods for infants and young children — GMP
CXS 192-1995 Table Three, INS 326and 6 further provisionsretrieved 2026-09-07

What it is made from

Made by neutralising fermentation-derived lactic acid with potassium hydroxide.

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
CAS registry number
996-31-6
InChIKey
PHZLMBHDXVLRIX-UHFFFAOYSA-M
PubChem
CID 23671663

Every name it appears under

35 recorded names. A label may use any of them.

E number

  • E326

INS number

  • 326

CAS registry number

  • 996-31-6

As it appears in regulation

  • Potassium lactate

Other names

  • 87V1KMK4QV
  • Conclyte K
  • Conclyte K; E 326; Potassium DL-lactate; Potassium -hydroxypropionate; Purasal P; Purasel P
  • Conclyte K; E 326; Potassium DL-lactate; Potassium alpha-hydroxypropionate; Purasal P; Purasel P
  • INS NO.326
  • INS-326
  • L-Lactic acid potassium salt
  • lactate potassium
  • Lactic acid potassium salt 50%, extra pure
  • Lactic acid, monopotassium salt
  • LACTIC ACID, MONOPOTASSIUM SALT, (+/-)-
  • Lactic acid, potassium salt
  • Monopotassium 2-hydroxypropanoate
  • Monopotassium 2-hydroxypropanoate acid
  • Monopotassium 2hydroxypropanoate
  • Monopotassium 2hydroxypropanoate acid
  • Monopotassium lactate
  • potassium 2-hydroxypropanoate
  • Potassium 2-hydroxypropanoate, 60% solution in water
  • Potassium alpha-hydroxypropionate
  • Potassium alphahydroxypropionate
  • Potassium DL- lactate
  • Potassium DL-lactate
  • POTASSIUM LACTATE
  • Potassium Lactate, 60% in water
  • POTASSIUM LACTATE, DL-
  • POTASSIUM LACTATE, UNSPECIFIED FORM
  • Propanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, monopotassium salt
  • Propanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, potassium salt (1:1)
  • Propanoic acid, 2hydroxy, monopotassium salt
  • Propanoic acid, 2hydroxy, potassium salt (1:1)

Hazard reference values

No reference value for this substance in the sources we hold.

Evidence and how bodies read it

Studies, and the differing conclusions regulators drew from them, are curated by hand rather than machine-read, and none has been written for this substance yet.

Sources for this page

  • ecfr retrieved 2026-09-07
  • gsfa retrieved 2026-09-07

Full licence terms and publisher details on Sources. How this page is built and updated: Method.

Machine-readable:/api/v1/additives/potassium-lactate.json