Following the demonstration that rinses with solutions of soluble calcium salts reduced sucrose-induced demineralization, a study was undertaken to determine whether a similar effect could be obtained by the supplementation of a solid food with calcium lactate (CL). Subjects wore palatal appliances containing blocks of bovine enamel that were coated with Streptococcus mutans IB 1600 and ate 5-gram portions of cookies made with defined levels of CL. Determinations were made of changes in iodide penetrability (delta Ip) of the enamel, as well as the pH, calcium and inorganic phosphate of the streptococcal plaque. CL at 3.2% (w/w) reduced delta Ip from 12.9 +/- 1.7 to 6.1 +/- 0.9 units, i.e. by 52.7%. Plaque pH was not affected. Demineralization was reduced progressively with increasing concentrations of added CL, and CL was most effective with increasingly sweet cookies. Plaque contained 32.4 +/- 6.0 and 17.1 +/- 4.2 mM calcium after 1 and 5 min, respectively. Calculations showed that the plaque was saturated with respect to enamel during the first 5-10 minutes after food ingestion, in spite of the progressive drop in plaque pH. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated the reduction of the cariogenic potential of solid food by relatively low concentrations of CL. The effect appeared to be related to the ability of the food to maintain high levels of calcium in the streptococcal plaque during the period of active acidogenesis.