Ferrous lactate stands out as a greenish to pale yellow compound that brings iron and lactic acid together in a single, water-soluble salt. Its chemical formula is C6H10FeO6, and the molecular weight clocks in at 241 g/mol. The compound exists as fine powders, solid flakes, or larger pearl-like crystals depending on the production process. Ferrous lactate pops up often as an iron supplement, mainly because it dissolves easily in water and packs a reasonable content of usable iron. This quality keeps it in demand for food fortification and pharmaceutical blends that work to treat or prevent iron deficiency anemia. In the lab, its density at room temperature is about 1.8 g/cm³, which makes for manageable handling during both bulk transport and mixing into solutions. Its melting point hits the range of 120°C–125°C, allowing it to stay stable under typical storage and processing conditions.
The physical appearance of ferrous lactate shifts based on form: powder granules feel slightly rough and flow easily, flakes break apart with minimal pressure, and crystals reflect light with a pale metallic luster. In a pure state, ferrous lactate remains highly stable in cool, dry air but begins to oxidize if left exposed to moisture or air for extended periods, gradually losing its brightness and developing a slight brownish tint. Dissolving quickly in water, it forms solutions with a mild, almost metallic taste—a fact anyone who’s mixed an iron supplement into fruit juice can confirm. Ferrous lactate is notably less soluble in ethanol or organic solvents, so water-based formulations dominate. The material does not carry the characteristic rust odor often found in bulk iron salts, which makes it more palatable in food use. Its structure features iron (II) ions bonded directly to lactic acid’s carboxylate groups, a detail that improves bioavailability compared to many other iron salts. Throughout the industry, ferrous lactate can arrive as free-flowing powder, dense flakes, compressed pearls, or even pre-dissolved liquid concentrate. Each form fits specific manufacturing needs—they all deliver a similar active ingredient profile, but the choice of format impacts mixing, stability, and shelf life.
Tracking international shipments or assessing regulatory obligations for ferrous lactate means knowing its HS Code, which typically classifies under 2918199090 as a carboxylic acid and its derivatives for chemical trade. This matters whether you are importing raw materials for dietary supplements or sending finished pharmaceuticals across borders. Since ferrous lactate appears as a feed additive, pharmaceutical raw material, and food fortificant, each sector watches for purity standards that line up with local or international health codes. In my work with sourcing teams, getting the certified batch under the correct HS code and having documentation ready helps avoid customs delays or regulatory snags that could freeze production lines.
Ferrous lactate specifications cover a range of standards, especially for producers looking to reach food-grade, pharmaceutical-grade, or industrial markets. Purity by iron content often hovers between 18% to 20%. The material’s pH in solution should land between 3.5 and 4.5, reflecting the slight acidity coming from lactic acid. Loss on drying needs to stay low (often below 2%) to prevent caking and decomposition during storage. Pharmaceutical buyers especially focus on heavy metal content, keeping arsenic, lead, and cadmium well below 2 parts per million (ppm). Color, odor, and solubility go through routine testing. Batch certificates outline these properties, giving evidence that the product matches monograph requirements set by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), the European Pharmacopoeia (EP), or the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC). Packaging for large-scale operations comes in moisture-proof sacks or drums, lined with polyethylene for added protection against humidity and oxidation.
Working with ferrous lactate could sound straightforward, but attention to safety makes a difference in healthy workplaces and reliable products. In its pure form, ferrous lactate counts as only slightly hazardous by most regulatory scales—ingestion in large amounts triggers stomach disturbances and can be risky for young children, but toxicological guides place it well below the acute levels of other iron salts. Handling the dry material requires gloves and dust masks when working with loose powder to avoid mild irritation to respiratory or skin tissues. Accumulated dust needs fast cleanup to prevent accidental inhalation. Spilled solutions wipe up easily with water, but letting ferrous lactate dry out on floors leaves slick surfaces behind. Suppliers mark their shipping cartons with chemical product codes and standard iron warning statements, which keeps warehouse staff aware of the material’s properties without overemphasizing unlikely hazards. Iron’s role as a micronutrient also means spent packaging or leftover batches can be disposed of with less red tape than heavy-metal-rich chemicals. Safety Data Sheets (SDS) back up every step of storage, use, and spill response.
Ferrous lactate delivers value as an iron fortifier across food and drink products, pharmaceutical tablets, and medical solutions for injection. It performs consistently during enrichment of cereal flours, infant formula, energy drinks, or sports nutrition powders. In each case, strong solubility keeps iron in a usable state instead of forming insoluble clumps or unpleasant metallic aftertastes, a detail that matters if your job centers around food innovation or formulating patient-friendly supplements. Ferrous lactate helps baked goods maintain color and taste, sidestepping the off-flavors or grey tints sometimes caused by other iron compounds. As a raw material, it blends well into both solid and liquid applications, meaning manufacturers can gear up production without investing in new processing lines. R&D teams watching for ingredient interactions know ferrous lactate stays more stable alongside ascorbic acid or common vitamin mixes, which adds flexibility to complex formulations. For anyone stuck on iron-deficiency challenges, ferrous lactate offers up a practical fix without the handling headaches of more reactive iron powders.
Over years spent troubleshooting ingredient performance, I’ve seen how ferrous lactate stands apart from ferrous sulfate or gluconate. In my role as a food technologist, ingredient consistency saved time and cut down on sample failures. Even with large orders, batch-to-batch variation rarely tripped up mixing or caused supply issues, thanks to strict sourcing controls. I learned to check for shipment certifications and analyze off-odor or discoloration, often catching transport issues before they disrupted a full run. Talking with procurement specialists, few raw materials seem as straightforward to trace, handle, and store. My advice remains to control humidity and shield the product from direct sunlight—iron can oxidize or degrade fast if warehouses run hot or leaky. From an industry-wide lens, having an iron source that checks so many boxes—high bioavailability, taste compatibility, manageable storage, and broad regulatory recognition—keeps the focus on solving nutritional deficiencies, not on dealing with production or shipping headaches.
