potassium lactate
Function: Antioxidant
E326 is the European food-additive number for potassium lactate, an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. POTASSIUM LACTATE is a compound with formula KC3H5O3.
What is E326 used for?
potassium lactate (E326) is an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. It is added during food production for a technological purpose rather than for nutrition. See all antioxidants (E-numbers).
Is E326 safe or restricted?
E326 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as “No regulatory flags” and does not make health claims. See the methodology for how regulatory levels are assigned, or the guide to how EU additives are approved, re-evaluated and banned.
Is E326 vegan or vegetarian?
potassium lactate (E326) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
The production source can vary between manufacturers — the Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product. Always read the label for allergens.
Which foods contain E326?
E326 appears in 13,472 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in sausages, pork (general) and ham.
- Sausages2,984
- Pork (General)1,296
- Ham1,277
- Chicken (General)914
- Turkey Breast696
- Bacon521
- Sandwiches313
- Beef (General)289
Often appears alongside
Additives most frequently found in the same ingredient lists as E326 across the catalogue.
Counts reflect Forkin's independently enriched product catalogue and update as new products are added — they are not a market-share statistic.
Frequently asked questions about E326
- What is E326?
- E326 is the E-number for potassium lactate, an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. POTASSIUM LACTATE is a compound with formula KC3H5O3.
- What is E326 used for?
- potassium lactate (E326) is an antioxidant — used to stop fats and oils going rancid and to protect colour. Manufacturers add it during processing rather than for nutrition. The Forkin app shows which products in your scan history actually contain it.
- Which foods contain E326?
- E326 appears in 13,472 of the 4.6 million products in Forkin's catalogue — most often in sausages, pork (general) and ham. Scan any barcode with the Forkin app to see instantly whether a specific product contains it.
- Is E326 vegan or vegetarian?
- potassium lactate (E326) is typically produced from plant, mineral, or synthetic sources, so it is generally suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The Forkin app shows the verified vegan and vegetarian status per product, since the source can vary between manufacturers.
- Is E326 safe, and is it banned anywhere?
- E326 is an approved food additive in the EU and currently carries no special regulatory restrictions in the EU additive register. Forkin classifies it as "No regulatory flags" and does not make health claims — see the methodology page for how regulatory levels are assigned, and the Forkin app for the full profile, including acceptable daily intake (ADI) and restrictions by country.
See the full profile in Forkin
The Forkin app surfaces the full regulatory profile of E326 — acceptable daily intake (ADI), restrictions by country, vegan/vegetarian status, alternative names, and which products in your scan history contain it. See how Forkin compares to other scanners or view pricing.