C * -algebras, group algebras, and the algebra A(X) of approximable operators on a Banach space X having the bounded approximation property are known to be zero product determined. We are interested in giving a quantitative estimate of this property by finding, for each Banach algebra A of the above classes, a constant α with the property that for every continuous bilinear functional ϕ : A × A → C there exists a continuous linear functional ξ on A such that sup a = b =1 |ϕ(a, b) − ξ(ab)| ≤ α sup a = b =1, ab=0 |ϕ(a, b)|.