Zinc Lactate: The "Organic First Choice" for Gentle Zinc Supplementation

Zinc lactate, an organic zinc salt obtained from the reaction of lactic acid with zinc oxide/zinc hydroxide, has the CAS number 16039-53-5. It is highly water-soluble and its aqueous solution is weakly acidic. It is stable under light, heat and general processing conditions. Its relative bioavailability is 35–50%, which is significantly better than inorganic zinc such as zinc sulfate and zinc oxide. Lactate has almost no irritation to the gastric mucosa and is well tolerated by children, pregnant women and people with sensitive intestines. It has a mild taste and no bitter metallic taste when taken, and can be directly used in oral liquids, chewable tablets and powder drinks.

There are over 1.7 billion people worldwide suffering from zinc deficiency, especially in developing countries. Due to reasons such as a single diet structure, insufficient nutrient intake or absorption disorders, zinc deficiency is particularly common among infants and young children, pregnant women and the elderly. The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed zinc supplementation as one of the "basic nutritional intervention measures for children under 5 years old". The global zinc supplement market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7%, reaching a scale of 1.8 billion US dollars in 2028. The share of organic zinc is expected to exceed 55%, and zinc lactate, with its "gentle and efficient" advantages, is expected to grow at a rate 3-4 percentage points higher than the industry average. Functional beverages and ready-to-drink yogurt will become new growth points, and the market for pet nutrition (microelement tablets for cats and dogs) is expected to grow at an average annual rate of about 11% from 2023 to 2027.