Determination of Lactic Acid in Cheddar Cheese and Calcium Lactate Crystals

Abstract

An accurate method for the quantification of L(+)-lactic acid and D(−)-lactic acid in cheese and calcium lactate crystals found on the surface of cheese was devised through the modification of an existing L(+)-lactic acid test procedure. The mean percentage of lactic acid recovered from standard solutions was 97.7 for L(+)-lactic acid and 99.5 for D(−)-lactic acid. When known amounts of L(+)- or D(−)-lactic acid were added to calcium lactate crystals and Cheddar cheese, a high percentage of the added lactic acid was recovered, indicating that no racemization of lactic acid occurred during the assay procedure. © 1986, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.