Lactic acid : Veganism is a lifestyle that aims to minimize the use and consumption of products of animal origin on a daily basis, particularly in terms of diet (1).

People who follow a vegan diet avoid eating animal products, including dairy, eggs, meat, fish, poultry, and honey (2).

Sometimes following a vegan diet can be difficult due to the possibility that certain foods contain animal ingredients. Lactic acid is a common ingredient that many new vegans wonder about.

This article examines whether lactic acid is vegan, as well as its uses and food sources.

What is lactic acid?

Many people assume that lactic acid comes from animal products because the first word of the term sounds like lactose, a sugar naturally found in cow's milk and dairy products. To add to the confusion, the prefix "lac-" is Latin for "milk."

However, lactic acid is not milk and does not contain milk. It is an organic acid that forms naturally when certain foods or bacteria go through the fermentation process.

In addition to being created by fermentation, lactic acid can be created by humans and is sometimes added as a preservative and flavoring to packaged foods (3).

Foods containing lactic acid

A number of commonly eaten foods contain lactic acid, either as a result of fermentation or as an additive.

Lactic acid is found in pickled vegetables, sourdough bread, beer, wine, sauerkraut, kimchi, and fermented soy foods like soy sauce and miso. It is responsible for their tangy flavor (4).

In addition to fermented vegetables and grains, fermented dairy products like kefir and yogurt contain lactic acid. Lactic acid is also found in salami, a fermented meat (4).

It may also be present in or added to a variety of popular packaged products, including salad dressings, spreads, breads, desserts, olives and jams.

To determine if a food contains lactic acid, look on the ingredients label to see if it is listed.

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Lactic acid occurs naturally in fermented foods, but it can also be man-made and added to packaged foods. Some common foods that contain lactic acid are sauerkraut, yogurt, sourdough bread, and salami.

Is lactic acid vegan?

Lactic acid is primarily found in or made from fermented vegetables, grains, and legumes, making it a vegan substance (4).

However, this may not be the case in all countries or with all food products, as the production of artificial lactic acid may involve animal sources.

The best way to ensure that the lactic acid in a food is vegan is to contact the manufacturer directly and ask.

Additionally, although non-vegan fermented meats and dairy products contain lactic acid, this should not be a concern for vegans since they exclude these foods from their diet anyway.
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Most lactic acid is vegan because it occurs primarily during the natural fermentation process of plants or is created by humans using plants. Lactic acid is also found in dairy products and fermented meats, but vegans avoid these foods anyway. Contact the manufacturer to be sure.

The essential

Lactic acid can be of human origin or occur naturally as a byproduct of the fermentation process, which primarily involves plant-based foods.

Most lactic acid is consistent with a vegan diet, which avoids animal products.

That said, lactic acid is also found in dairy products and fermented meat, but people on a vegan diet wouldn't eat these foods anyway.

Lactic acid is also sometimes added as a preservative or flavoring to packaged foods. Although it is usually made from plant sources, the best way to confirm is to contact the manufacturer and ask.