A method for recovering lactic acid from an aqueous mixture including the steps of: providing an aqueous mixture including lactic acid and at least 5 wt. % dissolved magnesium chloride, based on the total weight of water and dissolved material in the aqueous mixture; extracting the lactic acid from the aqueous mixture into a first organic liquid including an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of C5+ ketones, diethylether and methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether, thereby obtaining an organic lactic acid solution and an aqueous waste liquid including magnesium chloride; and extracting the lactic acid from the organic lactic acid solution into an aqueous liquid, thereby obtaining an aqueous lactic acid solution and a second organic liquid. The method according to the invention allows a combined purification and concentration step for feed solutions of lactic acid.