Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
<p ><b>Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate</b> (sodium stearoyl lactylate or SSL) is a versatile, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_of_food_and_dietary_supplements_by_the_U.S._Food_and_Drug_Administration#Food_additives" title="Regulation of food and dietary supplements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration" >FDA approved</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_additive" title="Food additive" >food additive</a>. It is one type of a commercially available <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactylate" title="Lactylate" >lactylate</a>. SSL is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxicity" title="Toxicity" >non-toxic</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-JECFA_3-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-JECFA-3" >[4]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Lamb_4-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-Lamb-4" >[5]</a></sup> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradation" title="Biodegradation" >biodegradable</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-Schaefer_5-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-Schaefer-5" >[6]</a></sup> and typically manufactured using <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_resource" title="Renewable resource" >biorenewable</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_material" title="Raw material" >feedstocks</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Markley_6-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-Markley-6" >[7]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Baniel_7-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-Baniel-7" >[8]</a></sup> </p>
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Because SSL is a safe and highly effective food additive, it is used in a wide variety of products ranging from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baking" title="Baking" >baked goods</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dessert" title="Dessert" >desserts</a> to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet_food" title="Pet food" >pet foods</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Ash_1-2" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-Ash-1" >[2]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-CFR-SSL_8-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-CFR-SSL-8" >[9]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-EU1_9-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-EU1-9" >[10]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-AAFCO_10-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-AAFCO-10" >[11]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-CFR-CSL3_11-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-CFR-CSL3-11" >[12]</a></sup></p>
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As described by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Pharmacopeia" title="United States Pharmacopeia" >Food Chemical Codex</a> 7th edition, SSL is a cream-colored powder or brittle solid.<sup id="cite_ref-FCC-SSL_0-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-FCC-SSL-0" >[1]</a></sup> SSL is currently manufactured by the esterification of stearic acid with lactic acid and partially neutralized with either food-grade soda ash (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_carbonate" title="Sodium carbonate" >sodium carbonate</a>) or caustic soda (concentrated<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hydroxide" title="Sodium hydroxide" >sodium hydroxide</a>)</p>
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. Commercial grade SSL is a mixture of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium" title="Sodium" >sodium</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_(chemistry)" title="Salt (chemistry)" >salts</a> of stearoyl lactylic acids and minor proportions of other sodium salts of related acids. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrophilic-lipophilic_balance" title="Hydrophilic-lipophilic balance" >HLB</a> for SSL is 10-12. SSL is slightly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygroscopy" title="Hygroscopy" >hygroscopic</a>, soluble in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol" title="Ethanol" >ethanol</a> and in hot oil or fat, and dispersible in warm water.<sup id="cite_ref-Ash_1-3" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-Ash-1" >[2]</a></sup> These properties are the reason that SSL is an excellent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulsifier" title="Emulsifier" class="mw-redirect" >emulsifier</a> for fat-in-water emulsions<sup id="cite_ref-Narsimhan_12-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-Narsimhan-12" >[13]</a></sup> and can also function as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humectant" title="Humectant" class="mw-redirect" >humectant</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Orthoefer_13-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-Orthoefer-13" >[14]</a></sup></p>
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SSL finds widespread application in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baking" title="Baking" >baked goods</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancake" title="Pancake" >pancakes</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffle" title="Waffle" >waffles</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cereal" title="Cereal" >cereals</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastas" title="Pastas" class="mw-redirect" >pastas</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_rice" title="Instant rice" >instant rice</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dessert" title="Dessert" >desserts</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icing(food)" title="Icing (food)" >icings</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttercream" title="Buttercream" >fillings</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pudding" title="Pudding" >puddings</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cake#Cake_decorating" title="Cake" >toppings</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confectionery" title="Confectionery" >sugar confectionaries</a>, powdered <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drink#Hot_beverages" title="Drink" >beverage mixes</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-dairy_creamer" title="Non-dairy creamer" >creamers</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_liqueur" title="Cream liqueur" >cream liqueurs</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_mashed_potatoes" title="Instant mashed potatoes" >dehydrated potatoes</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dip(food)" title="Dip (food)" >snack dips</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauce" title="Sauce" >sauces</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravy" title="Gravy" >gravies</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewing_gum" title="Chewing gum" >chewing gum</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diet_food" title="Diet food" >dietetic foods</a>, minced and diced <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potted_meat" title="Potted meat" >canned meats</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mostarda" title="Mostarda" ><i>mostarda di frutta</i></a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet_food" title="Pet food" >pet food</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-CFR-SSL_8-2" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-CFR-SSL-8" >[9]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-EU1_9-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-EU1-9" >[10]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-AAFCO_10-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-AAFCO-10" >[11]</a></sup> </p>
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Approved uses and maximum use levels in the United States are described in 21 CFR 172.846<sup id="cite_ref-CFR-SSL_8-3" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-CFR-SSL-8" >[9]</a></sup> and 21 CFR 177.120.<sup id="cite_ref-CFR-CSL3_11-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-CFR-CSL3-11" >[12]</a></sup> In the European Union, the approved uses and maximum use levels are described in Regulation (EC) No 95/2.<sup id="cite_ref-EU1_9-2" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_stearoyl_lactylate#cite_note-EU1-9" >[10]</a></sup>
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