Common Name: Calcium Lactate

Alternate names are E327 and Calcium 2-hydroxypropanoate.

Scientific Name: C₆H₁₀CaO₆

Editorial Note: This entry is part of The Culinary Compendium’s ongoing ingredient archive and will be expanded as new sources are examined.

History: Long before modern chemistry, Calcium Lactate has been a part of diets around the world for thousands of years. Although our ancestors may not have known it, it was essential to the production of sourdough, cheese, yogurt, and fermented vegetables. It was especially prevalent in milk products, where lactic acid bacteria break down sugars to form lactic acid. From there, it bound to calcium to form calcium lactate crystals.

In 1780, a Swedish chemist named Carl Wilhelm Scheele discovered lactic acid while experimenting with sour milk. In the following decades, it was bound with calcium, forming calcium lactate, and used as a tonic for digestive ailments. By the mid-1900s, it was a well-known supplement across Europe and prized for being more bioavailable and palatable than other calcium salts.

By the 20th century, calcium lactate became commonplace in food laboratories where it was used as a firming agent, preservative, and calcium supplement for beverages and dairy products.

Interesting Facts: Although the name is similar, Calcium Lactate does not contain lactose and is safe for consumption by people with lactose intolerance.

Uses: Its best-known role is in molecular gastronomy, where, when paired with sodium alginate, it allows chefs to transform liquids into delicate spheres.

Selection & Storage: Store in an airtight container away from excess heat, light, and humidity.

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