Lactic Acid

Lactic Acid View previous versionsLactic AcidSurinder P. Chahal, John N. Starr, First Published:  15 January 2006https://doi.org/10.1002/14356007.a15_097.pub2Lactic AcidSurinder P. Chahal, First Published:  15 June 2000https://doi.org/10.1002/14356007.a15_097 John N. Starr, John N. Starr NatureWorks LLC, Minnetonka, USASearch for more papers by this authorGerrit Westhoff, Gerrit Westhoff FrieslandCampina Domo, Amersfoort, NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this author John N. Starr, John N. Starr NatureWorks LLC, Minnetonka, USASearch for more papers by this authorGerrit Westhoff, Gerrit Westhoff FrieslandCampina Domo, Amersfoort, NetherlandsSearch for more papers by this author First published: 31 January 2014 https://doi.org/10.1002/14356007.a15_097.pub3Citations: 7 Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Abstract Lactic acid is a naturally occurring C3 α-hydroxycarboxylic acid that is a product of anaerobic metabolism of sugars in virtually all living things. It is a colorless to slightly yellow, hydroscopic liquid commercially available in 50–90 wt% solutions. Lactic acid is made industrially by fermentation of carbohydrates or synthetically via the hydrolysis of lactonitrile. Production by fermentation has increased over the last decade as it produces the highly enantiopure l-lactic acid that is needed for food and polymer applications. Historically, foods have been the largest volume application, as lactic acid is a mild-tasting acidulant and food preservative. The use of lactic acid based polymers has increased significantly since ca. 2002. These polymers have the potential to develop into a million-tonne industry over the next 20 years. The commercial lactic acid processes use a variety of sugar for raw materials (sucrose from sugar beets and sugar cane, dextrose from corn), depending on price and availability of these sugars near the plant location. There are also a number of purification processes that are used commercially (lactate ester distillation, distillation, liquid–liquid extraction). The article contains sections titled: 1. Introduction 2. Properties 2.1. Physical Properties 2.2. Chemical Properties 2.2.1. Internal Esterification 2.2.2. Esterification 2.2.3. Other Reactions 3. Production 3.1. Fermentation 3.2. Purification 3.3. Synthesis 3.4. Construction Materials 4. Uses 4.1. Food Uses 4.2. Polymers 4.3. Industrial Uses 5. Quality Specifications 6. Analysis 7. Storage and Transportation 8. Legal Aspects 9. Economic Aspects 10. Environmental Protection 11. Toxicology and Occupational Health Citing Literature Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial ChemistryBrowse other articles of this reference work:BROWSE BY TOPICBROWSE A-Z RelatedInformation