Sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL, E481) is usually vegan. It's made from lactic acid and stearic acid. The lactic acid is fermented from sugars. The stearic acid usually comes from vegetable oils, but some producers use animal fat, and labels don't say which.
Despite the name, SSL contains no dairy and is safe for people avoiding lactose.
Sodium stearoyl lactylate is a mouthful, and it appears on a lot of bread, cracker and dessert labels. The "lact" in its name makes people think of milk. It isn't from milk.
What it's made from
SSL is made by combining two things:
| Component | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lactic acid | Vegan | Fermented from sugars such as corn, beet or cane sugar. No dairy. |
| Stearic acid | Grey area | A fatty acid usually taken from vegetable oils such as soy or palm, but sometimes from animal fat. |
The result is neutralized with a sodium salt to make sodium stearoyl lactylate. Calcium stearoyl lactylate (E482) is made the same way with calcium.
Where you'll find it
- Sliced bread and buns, including Wonder Bread
- Crackers such as Club Reduced Fat
- Cakes, muffins and pastries
- Whipped toppings and creamers
- Sauces and some cosmetics
How we treat it
Because SSL is usually plant-based, we don't count it against a product on its own. When it appears alongside several other ambiguous dough conditioners, as in Wonder Bread, we take that into account and say so.
Related ingredients
Mono- and diglycerides (E471) raise the same question: usually plant-based, sometimes not, and unlabeled. Lecithin (E322) is almost always plant-based in food.
Products we've checked that contain it
- Club Reduced Fat crackers: vegan, with SSL as a noted grey area.
- Many sliced breads, including Wonder Bread, use it as a dough conditioner.
The bottom line
Sodium stearoyl lactylate is usually made from vegetable fat and fermented lactic acid. It contains no dairy despite the name. We treat it as a grey area, not a dealbreaker.