INS 327 is calcium lactate, the calcium salt of lactic acid. On packs it shows up most often in calcium-fortified juices and lassi, chewable calcium tablets, some processed cheese, and as a firming agent in fruit pickles and canned fruit. It is one of the most-used calcium fortifiers because it dissolves cleanly in water and adds calcium without the chalky mouthfeel of calcium carbonate. Veg status depends on the source the manufacturer uses and is permitted by FSSAI for specified food categories.
INS 327 is calcium lactate, the calcium salt of lactic acid. On packs it shows up most often in calcium-fortified juices and lassi, chewable calcium tablets, some processed cheese, and as a firming agent in fruit pickles and canned fruit. It is one of the most-used calcium fortifiers because it dissolves cleanly in water and adds calcium without the chalky mouthfeel of calcium carbonate.
Brands use it for two main jobs: as a calcium fortifier (in juices, lassi, dairy alternatives, and chewable calcium supplements like the kids' calcium tablets sold in Indian pharmacies), and as a firming agent for fruit (calcium ions crosslink with the pectin in fruit cell walls, keeping pickled or canned mango / amla / apple firmer for longer). It also acts as an acidity regulator and is one of the workhorse ingredients in baking-powder formulations where a slow-acting calcium-based leavener is wanted.
INS 327 commonly shows up on Indian packets in these categories:
Calcium lactate is made by neutralising lactic acid with calcium hydroxide or calcium carbonate. The lactic acid itself is produced by Lactobacillus fermentation of a sugar substrate. In India the substrate for food-grade and supplement-grade calcium lactate is most often plant-derived (corn syrup, sugar, or molasses), but whey-based fermentation (using a dairy by-product as substrate) also exists. The salt-form INS number alone does not say which substrate was used. The Indian veg/non-veg dot on the pack is the brand's declaration; if a product is dairy-free and vegan-labelled, the calcium lactate in it is from a vegan substrate.
FSSAI: Permitted by FSSAI as an acidity regulator, firming agent, and stabiliser under Schedule I of the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011 for specified food categories with category-specific upper limits. The FSSAI Food Fortification Regulations also recognise calcium lactate as one of the calcium sources permitted for calcium-fortification of foods. Note: the D(-) and DL forms of lactic acid (and their salts) are not permitted for use in foods specifically formulated for infants under three months, because infants can have difficulty metabolising the D-isomer. Commercial food-grade calcium lactate is typically the L-(+) form.
JECFA: ADI 'not limited' for calcium lactate, established at the 18th JECFA (1974), based on the toxicology monograph for lactic acid and its ammonium, calcium, potassium, and sodium salts prepared at the 17th JECFA (1973). 'Not limited' is JECFA's classification at typical use levels: lactic acid and its salts are normal intermediates in human carbohydrate metabolism. The 1973 evaluation included a restriction that D(-)-lactic acid and DL-lactic acid (and their salts) should not be used in infant foods. EFSA's 2019 evaluation for animal feed use reached a similar safety position.
On packets, in recipes, and in conversation, INS 327 is also called:
Last verified: 2026-05-12.