At a Glance
Material Family
Acids & Salts
Record Type
Salt
Primary Role
pH Adjustment · Preservation
Functional Roles
Industries Served
Applications & Use Cases
- ▸ Supplied as a ~60% aqueous solution for use as an antimicrobial and shelf-life extender in processed meat, poultry, and seafood, where it controls Listeria and slows spoilage while buffering product pH.
- ▸ Used as a humectant and skin-conditioning agent (INCI: Potassium Lactate) in lotions, creams, and personal-care formulations to bind moisture in the stratum corneum.
- ▸ Functions as a pH buffer and acidity regulator in food, beverage, and HI&I cleaning formulations where a mild, food-grade lactate salt is preferred over inorganic buffers.
- ▸ Applied as a biodegradable component in low-corrosion deicing and antifreeze fluids and as a freezing-point depressant in water-treatment and industrial process applications.
- ▸ Serves as a chelating co-agent and carbon source in fermentation, electrolyte, and specialty industrial blends requiring a soluble, low-toxicity potassium-lactate source.
Physical Properties
Appearance
Clear, slightly viscous liquid (typical 60% aqueous solution)
Form
Aqueous solution (hygroscopic; anhydrous salt rarely isolated)
Odor
Odorless to faintly characteristic
Color
Colorless to pale yellow
Density
1.30-1.33 g/cm3 (typical, 60% solution at 20 C)
pH
6.5-8.5 (typical, aqueous solution)
Water Solubility
Miscible / fully soluble in water
Solids Content
approx. 60% (typical commercial grade)
Safety & Handling
Full SDS available on request
A grade-specific Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — with the complete hazard classification, handling precautions, and transport information — is supplied with every shipment and available on request. Confirm all safety and regulatory details against the SDS for your specific grade.
Request SDS →
Chemical Identity
CAS Number
996-31-6
Molecular Formula
C3H5KO3
Molecular Weight
128.17 g/mol
IUPAC Name
potassium 2-hydroxypropanoate
PubChem CID
InChI Key
PHZLMBHDXVLRIX-UHFFFAOYSA-M
Synonyms & Trade Names
Full Description
Regulatory & registration requirements
- TSCA (US):
- REACH (EU): Not determined from public registry
- EC number: 213-631-3
Source: EPA TSCA Inventory (July 2025 release) · ECHA CHEM — retrieved 2026-07-12
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Disclaimer. Information on this page — including properties, identifiers, hazard, transport (DOT/UN) and tariff (HS) classifications, and applications — is provided for general reference and is compiled from authoritative public sources (e.g. PubChem/ECHA, 49 CFR 172.101, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule). Values are typical and are not a guaranteed specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot purchased governs. Products are sold for industrial and professional use only. Nothing here is a medical, health, or efficacy claim or advice. Always consult the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before handling, storage, transport or disposal, and confirm regulatory status, classification and suitability for your application and jurisdiction. Hazard, transport and tariff classifications must be verified for your specific shipment. RawSource makes no warranty, express or implied, and assumes no liability for use of this information. Trademarks. Third-party trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective owners; any reference is nominative — used only to identify a comparable product — and does not imply affiliation with, sponsorship by, or endorsement by the trademark owner.