Lactic acid is also the most common
acidic ingredient of
fermented milk items. It is used for
tanning leather,
dying wool, as a food
preservative (by lowering
pH), and for flavoring foods such as:
It can be found in plant material,
blood,
muscle, and in
soil. Special types of
bacteria are used to create lactic acid when they are fed
carbohydrates.
structural formula for lactic acid:
H H
\ /
H -- C O -- H
\ /
C -- C == O
/ \
H -- O H