An Overview on the Biological Production of Vinegar

Production of vinegar

Vinegar sales grew at 15% from 2000 to 2002 and have been stronger

than most other comparative categories including meat marinades,

oriental sauces, cooking wine and sherry. Vinegar sales are somewhat

seasonal, with a peak in the summer months and a secondary peak in

April. There are some reports that suggest consumers are changing their

vinegar purchasing habits. According to IRI (Information Resources, Inc)

information from 1998 - 2004, of the 48% of households that purchased

vinegar, 30% purchased white distilled vinegar, 14% purchased cider

vinegar, 9% purchased red wine vinegar, 5% purchased balsamic vinegar

and 3% purchased rice vinegar from Crisco Company 2005. While vineger

distilled remains the strongest in sales, although white and ciders are

giving way slowly to increases in red wine, rice and balsamic vinegar

(Crisco 2005).In 2005, balsamic vinegar, made of grapes, had the largest

world market share with about one third, while the cider vinegar share

wasȱ7%.ȱInȱEurope,ȱthereȱareȱregionalȱstandardsȱforȱdifferentȱvinegars,ȱbutȱ

a value for wine vinegar is a minimum of 6% acetic acid (w/v), obtained by

acetous fermentation of wine. In vinegars produced from other alcoholic

bases than wine, the acetic acid concentration threshold minimum is 5%

(w/v) (Solieri and Giudici, 2009).

In North America, the vinegar must have an acetic acid content of at

least 4% (w/v). The maximum ethanol content in vinegars has been set

to a maximum 0.5 and 1% (v/v) for wine vinegar and other vinegars,

respectively, by the Codex Alimentarius commission (FAO/WHO, 2000).

Uses of vinegar in food industry

Theȱ useȱ ofȱ vinegarȱ toȱ flavourȱ foodȱ isȱ centuriesȱ old.ȱ Whetherȱ naturallyȱ

produced during fermentation or intentionally added, vinegar retards

microbial growth and contributes sensory properties to a number of foods.

It has been used as a medicine, corrosive agent, pickling agent and can be

directly consumed in diluted form as a beverage. In the food industry,

vinegar is used mainly as an acidulant, but it has also many other food

processingȱ applications.ȱ Itȱ isȱ foundȱ inȱ hundredsȱ ofȱ differentȱ processedȱ

foods, including salad dressings, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, bread

and bakery products, canned foods, marinades and the current falling

wine consumption have favoured an increase in vinegar production (De

Ory et al., 2002).

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