Some vegans avoid consuming packaged or processed foods because there is often no clear-cut way to tell whether all ingredients are free from animal derivatives. It’s a careful method to ensure that your vegan diet isn’t compromised. However, some people prefer to include packaged items in their diet and instead check ingredient lists diligently to make sure they aren’t consuming anytihng that conflicts with veganism. One such ingredient for vegans to look out for is lactic acid.
Lactic acid can be manmade or it can occur as a natural byproduct of the fermentation process, which takes place when bacteria or food is fermented (via Healthline). Lactic acid is typically made from bacteria such as lactococcus, lactobacillus, enterococcus, streptococcus, and bifidobacterium. Since fermentation can occur in foods that are made from both plants and animals, you first must find out what ingredient was used to make the lactic acid in order to determine if it’s vegan-friendly (via The Greatist). While the majority of lactic acid is plant-based, there are certain times when it contains animal origins.