Encapsulated Lactic Acid
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I just wanted to point out that Encapsulated Lactic Acid is a thing! Since Lactic Acid is the type of acid that is formed when Fermenting a sausage, and since Lactic Acid tastes very different than Citric Acid, why not use Encapsulated Lactic Acid? The reason people use Fermento is to get the taste of fermented sausage! Fermento is not going to give as strong of a flavor or tang that actual fermentation will give, because in order to achieve that amount of taste you would need to use to much! It would effect the bind and overall texture of the sausage if you used that much of it! Encapsulated Lactic Acid would be able to achieve the correct taste and tang with out those issues.
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Ok. Funny you should mention this. Received a gift box today from a local meat shop. Reading through the ingredients found this…
Never heard of the encapsulated lactic acid before. Have not tried yet but wondering about all the additives with this. Probably looking for shelf stable but not what I do.
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The problem is that it is only available to a Commercial Processor or to a company that supplies Commercial Processors. We as home Processors cant get it unless a company like Walton’s gets it in as a product to sell. The things on that label are mostly for binding, texture, color or curing, and a few for taste lol.
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This post is deleted!
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David Harkness I have not found Encapsulated LACTIC Acid available retail anywhere. I have contacted the manufacturers, but they are not interested in small amounts like a home processor would wan to buy.
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Like I said unless a company like This one stocks it and makes it available in smaller amounts it is not going to be had, I have been looking for it for over a year, the distributors that handle it do not sell it in less than 100 pound batches. At least that is what they have been telling me, they are not interested in selling to home processors.
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If you can make do with food grade lactic acid instead of encapsulated, check with winemaking supply stores. I know some carry it. You may have to do some calculations for how much mass to use, but I think adding it at the stuffing stage would probably give you the results you’re looking for. 32 oz goes for $20 Canadian up here. Good luck in your quest.
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Miket482000 I’ll get you more details on Monday. ELA is not as common as ECA. It has a “smoother” acidity. That’s the best way I can think to describe it right now. I’ll look at pricing and quantities and see what we can do to get an option for everyone in a small batch.
–Austin Walton
VP of Operations at Walton's & Meatgistics HostShop waltons.com for Everything but the Meat!
Subscribe to WaltonsTV on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@waltonsinc) -
Austin Sounds great! Yes Lactic Acid is definitely less harsh and that I why I have never really liked the taste of Citric acid as I grew up eating Real Fermented Summer Sausage! I don’t think many these days in the time of mass produced Summer sausage and other sausages that are supposed to be fermented have really tasted the real thing. That being said I have noticed that more and more processors are starting to use it instead of or in addition to Citric Acid. The one thing that I am also curious about is if it works as a cure accelerator as Citric Acid does. The manufacturers were not really interested in giving me time to ask questions. LOL So it may be a case of needing to add a little Citric or some Erythorbate along with it if it does not work in that way as well.
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Harkness That would alter the PH before the proteins are set well as it is not slowed in it action by not being encapsulated. The encapsulation prevents the acid from being released until the sausage begins to cook so it will not interfere with protein extraction or binding. Using any acid directly in your batter depending on how much it changes the PH can adversely affect extraction and binding. Even adding things like Tomatoes can cause problems, but in those cases a small amount Sodium Bicarbonate will almost magically let binding happen.
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Dave in AZ Military Veterans Sous Vide Canning Traeger Power User Arizona Dry Cured Sausage Dry-Cured Expertreplied to Austin on last edited by Dave in AZ
Austin said in Encapsulated Lactic Acid:
Miket482000 I’ll get you more details on Monday. ELA is not as common as ECA. It has a “smoother” acidity. That’s the best way I can think to describe it right now. I’ll look at pricing and quantities and see what we can do to get an option for everyone in a small batch.
Austin did you guys ever source Encapsulated Lactic Acid? I don’t see it in your products. I’m looking for this too. I’m thinking it might be better than ECA for replicating fermented flavor without having to ferment.
Hope you take another look and will carry this product!
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Dave in AZ At first glance, the lactic acid would be nearly twice as expensive as the ECA. Pricing would be around $15 per bag. I think that might be hard to swallow for most people compared to ECA. I need to do some more searching and make sure I’m looking at exactly the right thing, but my hopes are not high. If I can find something reasonable, I’d be willing to try stocking it. I’ll let you know if I can find anything else.
–Austin Walton
VP of Operations at Walton's & Meatgistics HostShop waltons.com for Everything but the Meat!
Subscribe to WaltonsTV on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@waltonsinc) -
Dave in AZ Military Veterans Sous Vide Canning Traeger Power User Arizona Dry Cured Sausage Dry-Cured Expertreplied to Austin on last edited by
Austin thx Austin.
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Dave in AZ & Austin I recently did a test Using both ECA and ELA in 2 separate 25lb batches of the same product. As a commercial processor I’m shooting for a PH in the 4.7-4.9 range for a shelf stable product.
I used equal amounts ECA and ELA in both batches.
The ECA resulted in a PH of 4.66 and the ELA resulted in 5.10. The ECA is much more effective at dropping the PH but I much preferred the taste of the ELA.
I think this is why you see both in many products. ELA cost considerably more so less is used to get the flavor profile and then a small amount of ECA is used to set the PH without making is so tangy.
I’m not sure I will try this at this point since the customer preferred the ECA anyway. If I do ill let everyone know the results. -
glen Regular Contributors Team Grey Sous Vide Canning Dry Cured Sausage Masterbuilt Power User Meat Hack Winner Veteran Kansasreplied to Cabelas90 on last edited by
Cabelas90 Interesting and great info, thank you
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Dave in AZ Military Veterans Sous Vide Canning Traeger Power User Arizona Dry Cured Sausage Dry-Cured Expertreplied to Cabelas90 on last edited by
Cabelas90 fantastic info, thanks! That was just the test I was hoping to make, and I’m sure you did a better job of it! I have seen a “smooth acid blend” with both ELA and ECA, and your comments explain why that product is out there. I’m so glad you chimed in!
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Dave in AZ No Problem, It was a learning experience for us as well. And not the results I expected.
