E482 - Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate

At a glance

• What it is: A calcium salt made from lactic acid and fatty acids (mainly stearic acid); a white, powdery emulsifier and stabiliser.
• What it does: Strengthens dough, improves loaf volume and texture, and helps keep ingredients mixed during baking.
• Where it’s found: Especially in yeast-leavened breads and rolls; also in some bakery mixes.
• Regulatory status: Approved in the EU as E482 and permitted in the U.S. with specified uses and limits.
• Other names you might see: Calcium stearoyl lactylate, CSL.

Why is Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate added to food?

Food makers add E482 to keep oil and water mixed (emulsification) and to make dough stronger and more stable during mixing, proofing, and baking. In bread, this can help achieve better volume and a finer, more uniform crumb, especially under tough processing conditions.¹

What foods contain Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate?

In the United States, calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate is permitted for use in yeast-leavened bread and rolls, including products made from bakery mixes, at levels not exceeding 0.5 percent of the weight of flour.² Always check ingredient lists on packaged breads, buns, and rolls to see if E482 or “calcium stearoyl lactylate” appears.

What can replace Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate?

Depending on the recipe and goal, bakers may use:

• Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E481) for similar dough-strengthening effects
• Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471) to help with emulsification
• Lecithins (E322) for gentle emulsification in some doughs and batters
• Bakery aids such as enzymes like alpha-amylase (E1100) or oxidants like ascorbic acid (E300) to fine-tune dough handling and loaf volume

How is Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate made?

E482 is produced by reacting lactic acid with fatty acids (primarily stearic acid) to form stearoyl lactylic acids, and then neutralizing the product with calcium to make the calcium salt. The fatty acids are typically a food-grade mixture dominated by C16 and C18 chains.²

Is Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate safe to eat?

Regulators have evaluated E482 and set conditions for its use. In the European Union, the scientific panel of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) established a group acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 20 mg per kilogram of body weight per day for stearoyl-2-lactylates (E481–E482), covering normal dietary exposure when these additives are used as intended.¹

Does Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate have any benefits?

For food quality, E482 can make dough more tolerant in mixing and fermentation, support loaf volume, and help produce a soft, even crumb. These are technological, not nutritional, benefits tied to its role as an emulsifier and dough conditioner.¹

Who should avoid Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate?

• Dietary preference: The fatty acids used to make E482 may come from edible animal fats or vegetable oils. If you avoid animal-derived ingredients, check with the manufacturer for the source of the fatty acids.³
• Medical advice: Anyone advised by a healthcare professional to limit specific emulsifiers or to follow a specialized diet should read labels and consult their provider.

Myths & facts

• “It’s a dairy ingredient.” Fact: The “lactic” in its name refers to lactic acid, which in food use is commonly made by fermenting sugars or by synthesis—not from milk proteins or lactose.⁴
• “It adds a lot of calcium.” Fact: While it contains calcium, E482 is used at very low levels, so it is not a meaningful source of dietary calcium.
• “It’s the same as E481.” Fact: E481 is the sodium salt, while E482 is the calcium salt. They are related but not identical and may behave slightly differently in dough.

Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate in branded foods

You’ll most often see E482 in the ingredient lists of packaged sandwich bread, hamburger and hot dog buns, and similar yeast-leavened rolls. Look for “calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate,” “calcium stearoyl lactylate,” or “E482” on the label.

References

Footnotes

1. Re-evaluation of stearoyl-2-lactylates (E 481 and E 482) as food additives — EFSA Journal. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/3443 ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. 21 CFR 172.846 Calcium stearoyl lactylate — U.S. FDA (eCFR). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-172/subpart-I/section-172.846 ↩ ↩²

3. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012: Specifications for food additives — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩

4. 21 CFR 184.1061 Lactic acid — U.S. FDA (eCFR). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-184/section-184.1061 ↩