Other additive
Lactic Acid
A mild acid used to adjust acidity and to make food taste better to pets.
Lactic acid is a mild acid made by fermentation, and it’s not a dairy ingredient despite the name. In dry pet food it’s often part of the coating that makes kibble more appealing, and it adjusts acidity to help preserve the food.
It’s recognized as safe in animal feed at normal levels, and the amounts are small.
Also written as: L-Lactic Acid.
Sources
Updated November 2, 2026. General information, not veterinary advice.