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CAS Number: 60372-77-2 (also 88674-34-8 for the hydrochloride salt)
Synonyms: Ethyl N²-lauroyl-L-arginate hydrochloride, LAE, E243, ethyl lauroyl arginate HCl, lauric arginate ethyl ester, lauroyl ethyl arginate, LAE hydrochloride
Physical Properties: White to off-white, free-flowing powder or granular solid (hydrochloride salt form). Freely soluble in water (>250 g/L at 20°C). Soluble in propylene glycol, glycerol, and ethanol. Slightly soluble in oils. Molecular weight 421.02 g/mol (free base) and 457.48 g/mol (as HCl salt). Melting point 50-58°C (decomposes above 60°C). pH of 1% solution in water is 3.5–5.0. Log P = 2.1 (moderately lipophilic). Cationic surfactant. Stable at pH 3–7 and up to 80°C; hydrolyzes under strongly alkaline conditions (pH >9) or prolonged high temperature to lauric acid and ethyl arginine. Zeta potential is positive in solution.
Applications: Meat and poultry products (fresh ground beef, ground pork, fresh sausages, hot dogs, deli meats, marinated raw poultry, cooked ham) at 50–200 ppm alone or with sodium diacetate/lactate to control Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes. Seafood (raw shrimp, surimi, fish fillets, smoked salmon, crab meat). Dairy products (processed cheese slices, cheese spreads, cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream dips, yogurt, ice cream mix). Bakery (tortillas, flatbreads, pita, cakes, pastries, cream-filled donuts). Sauces and dressings (mayonnaise, salad dressings, marinades, salsas, dips). Beverages (ready-to-drink coffees and teas, protein shakes, flavored milks, fruit smoothies). Pet food and animal feed (wet and semi-moist formulations). Cosmetics and personal care (mouthwash, toothpaste, contact lens cleaning solutions, skin creams, shampoos). Medical (catheter lock solutions, wound dressings, topical antiseptic).
Description:
Ethyl lauroyl arginate (LAE, E243) is a cationic surfactant and broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent derived entirely from natural sources: lauric acid obtained from coconut oil or palm kernel oil, and L-arginine, an essential amino acid produced by fermentation. The molecule features an ethyl ester linkage connecting lauric acid to the alpha-amino group of arginine, while the guanidinium group of arginine remains intact. This unique structure imparts both hydrophilic properties from the positively charged guanidinium group and lipophilic properties from the lauryl chain, allowing LAE to insert into microbial cell membranes with high affinity.
The mechanism of action involves electrostatic attraction between the positively charged guanidinium group and negatively charged microbial membrane components, including phospholipids, lipopolysaccharides in Gram-negative bacteria, and teichoic acids in Gram-positive bacteria. Upon binding, LAE disrupts membrane integrity, causing rapid leakage of intracellular ions, ATP, and small metabolites, followed by dissipation of the proton motive force and cell death. Unlike some surfactants such as quaternary ammonium compounds, LAE does not easily induce bacterial resistance development due to its multi-target action, which includes membrane disruption, interference with DNA replication, and inhibition of key enzymes.
LAE is extremely effective at very low concentrations. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) range from 2 to 32 parts per million for Gram-positive bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus, and from 4 to 64 parts per million for Gram-negative bacteria including Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica, Campylobacter jejuni, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is also fungicidal against yeasts such as Candida and Zygosaccharomyces and molds such as Aspergillus and Penicillium at concentrations of 5 to 50 parts per million.
One of the most remarkable properties of LAE is its rapid hydrolysis in the human body. After ingestion, it is cleaved by esterases and amidases into lauric acid, a common dietary fatty acid, and L-arginine, an essential amino acid, plus ethanol at negligible levels. Therefore, LAE is completely nontoxic and is not absorbed as the parent compound. The acceptable daily intake established by JECFA is 0 to 10 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day, which is considered very safe. The United States FDA has approved LAE as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for use as an antimicrobial preservative in various meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, and beverage products under GRN numbers 296, 316, and 323.
LAE does not significantly alter taste, odor, color, or texture at effective concentrations of 50 to 200 parts per million. Unlike nitrites (E249–E252), LAE does not form carcinogenic nitrosamines. Unlike sorbic acid (E200), it is effective in neutral pH foods (pH 5–7) and in high-fat systems. However, LAE can be inactivated by anionic ingredients such as carrageenan, alginate, anionic emulsifiers, and high concentrations of lecithin or caseinate due to electrostatic neutralization and precipitation, so formulation compatibility studies are essential. In meat products, LAE synergizes with sodium diacetate, potassium lactate, and sodium citrate to control Listeria monocytogenes on ready-to-eat meats. In tortillas, LAE extends mold-free shelf life from 14 days to 45 days at room temperature. Its positive environmental profile, being biodegradable with low aquatic toxicity, makes it a sustainable alternative to synthetic preservatives. The commercial product is typically sold as the hydrochloride salt, for example under the brand names Apetit, Mirenat, or LAE powder, at 95 percent purity. Due to its cationic nature, it is incompatible with anionic thickeners like xanthan gum at concentrations above 0.3 percent. Despite this limitation, LAE represents one of the most significant advances in food preservation in the past two decades, bridging the gap between clean label consumer expectations and industrial microbial safety requirements.
SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT E243 – ETHYL LAUROYL ARGINATE
First aid measures:
Description of first aid measures:
General advice:
Consult a physician.
Show this safety data sheet to the doctor in attendance.
Move out of dangerous area:
If inhaled:
If breathed in, move person into fresh air.
If not breathing, give artificial respiration.
Consult a physician.
In case of skin contact:
Take off contaminated clothing and shoes immediately.
Wash off with soap and plenty of water.
Consult a physician.
In case of eye contact:
Rinse thoroughly with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes and consult a physician.
Continue rinsing eyes during transport to hospital.
If swallowed:
Do NOT induce vomiting.
Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person.
Rinse mouth with water.
Consult a physician.
Firefighting measures:
Extinguishing media:
Suitable extinguishing media:
Use water spray, alcohol-resistant foam, dry chemical or carbon dioxide.
Special hazards arising from the substance or mixture
Carbon oxides, Nitrogen oxides (NOx), Hydrogen chloride gas
Advice for firefighters:
Wear self-contained breathing apparatus for firefighting if necessary.
Accidental release measures:
Personal precautions, protective equipment and emergency procedures
Use personal protective equipment.
Avoid breathing vapours, mist or gas.
Evacuate personnel to safe areas.
Environmental precautions:
Prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so.
Do not let product enter drains.
Discharge into the environment must be avoided.
Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up:
Soak up with inert absorbent material and dispose of as hazardous waste.
Keep in suitable, closed containers for disposal.
Handling and storage:
Precautions for safe handling:
Avoid inhalation of vapour or mist.
Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities:
Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place.
Containers which are opened must be carefully resealed and kept upright to prevent leakage.
Storage class (TRGS 510): 8A: Combustible, corrosive hazardous materials
Exposure controls/personal protection:
Control parameters:
Components with workplace control parameters
Contains no substances with occupational exposure limit values.
Exposure controls:
Appropriate engineering controls:
Handle in accordance with good industrial hygiene and safety practice.
Wash hands before breaks and at the end of workday.
Personal protective equipment:
Eye/face protection:
Tightly fitting safety goggles.
Faceshield (8-inch minimum).
Use equipment for eye protection tested and approved under appropriate government standards such as NIOSH (US) or EN 166(EU).
Skin protection:
Handle with gloves.
Gloves must be inspected prior to use.
Use proper glove
removal technique (without touching glove's outer surface) to avoid skin contact with this product.
Dispose of contaminated gloves after use in accordance with applicable laws and good laboratory practices.
Wash and dry hands.
Full contact:
Material: Nitrile rubber
Minimum layer thickness: 0.11 mm
Break through time: 480 min
Material tested:Dermatril (KCL 740 / Aldrich Z677272, Size M)
Splash contact
Material: Nitrile rubber
Minimum layer thickness: 0.11 mm
Break through time: 480 min
Material tested:Dermatril (KCL 740 / Aldrich Z677272, Size M)
It should not be construed as offering an approval for any specific use scenario.
Body Protection:
Complete suit protecting against chemicals, The type of protective equipment must be selected according to the concentration and amount of the dangerous substance at the specific workplace.
Respiratory protection:
Where risk assessment shows air-purifying respirators are appropriate use a fullface respirator with multi-purpose combination (US) or type ABEK (EN 14387) respirator cartridges as a backup to engineering controls.
If the respirator is the sole means of protection, use a full-face supplied air respirator.
Use respirators and components tested and approved under appropriate government standards such as NIOSH (US) or CEN (EU).
Control of environmental exposure
Prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so.
Do not let product enter drains.
Discharge into the environment must be avoided.
Stability and reactivity:
Chemical stability:
Stable under recommended storage conditions.
Incompatible materials:
Strong oxidizing agents:
Hazardous decomposition products:
Hazardous decomposition products formed under fire conditions.
Carbon oxides, Nitrogen oxides (NOx), Hydrogen chloride gas.
Disposal considerations:
Waste treatment methods:
Product:
Offer surplus and non-recyclable solutions to a licensed disposal company.
Contact a licensed professional waste disposal service to dispose of this material.
Contaminated packaging:
Dispose of as unused product
