Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA, N,N,N′,N′-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is a chelating agent. It forms complexes with rare earth metal ions and the stability constants of these complexes have been evaluated.

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) may be employed in a microtiter plate assay. In this assay, interaction between EDTA or lactoferrin and nisin, lysozyme, or monolaurin against Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, and Pseudomonas fluorescens strains was investigated.