Lactic Acid

For more than a century since its founding in 1897, Dow has pioneered commercial success as an industry-leading materials science company. Today, Dow’s portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated science-based products and solutions for customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure and consumer care.

Dow combines global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation and leading business positions to achieve profitable growth. The company’s ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company. Dow’s ability to innovate at the intersection of chemistry, engineering and material science has brought solutions that differentiate its customers while positively impacting the world. These include lightweight carbon fibers for cars, technology to more efficiently produce cleaner water and packaging solutions that help make food safer and stay fresh longer.

Food and Beverages: Lactic acid is widely used as an acidulant, pH regulator, flavor enhancer, and preservative in a range of food products, including baked goods, beverages, dairy products, meat and poultry products, and confectionery items.

Pharmaceuticals: Lactic acid is used in pharmaceutical formulations, parenteral solutions, and as an excipient or buffering agent in various drug preparations.

Industrial Applications: Lactic acid finds applications in cleaning products, descalers, textile processing, and as a raw material for producing other lactic acid derivatives like polylactic acid (PLA) and lactide.

Agriculture: Lactic acid is used as a preservative and pH regulator in animal feed and silage preparations.

Personal Care and Cosmetics: In the personal care industry, lactic acid is used as an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) in skincare products like moisturizers, anti-aging creams, and chemical peels, due to its exfoliating and skin-rejuvenating properties.

Bioplastics: Lactic acid is a key raw material for the production of biodegradable and renewable bioplastics like polylactic acid (PLA), which are used in various applications, including packaging, disposable products, and medical implants.

Chemical Industry: Lactic acid is used as a starting material for the synthesis of various chemicals, such as lactates, propylene glycol, and other lactic acid derivatives.

Leather and Textile Processing: Lactic acid is employed in leather tanning processes and as a mordant in textile dyeing and printing operations.