Vinegar
Vinegar is a product that may be found in any kitchen around the world. Vinegar is part of human history, since its existence is known from about 10,000 years ago.
Its discovery was probably fortuitous. Someone must have left wine in contact with air. Some records about vinegar production and its different uses have been found around the world and several cultures. Nevertheless, there is no certainty yet about where it was first discovered or how it spread across the world.
The composition of vinegar depends in part on the nature of the fermented raw material, and also on the production, preservation and maturation conditions.
Vinegar may be defined as a “condiment” produced using sugary or starchy substances obtained from alcoholic fermentation followed by acetic fermentation.
Vinegar is ordinarily known as the sour astringent liquid obtained from the acid fermentation of wine.
With the passing of time, various uses and applications of vinegar have been found apart from that of the kitchen only. Due to its complexities and varieties, vinegar may be used regardless of cultural or religious beliefs, as food, as well as for medical, beauty care, cleaning, and preservation purposes.
In the past, the production of vinegar used to be explained differently as it is today. About 1800, the microbiological nature of vinegar production was determined. It was explained that the conversion of ethanol into acetic acid was carried out by living microorganisms. Nowadays, it is known that vinegar is the result of a fermentation process produced by bacteria called acetobacter. When breathing, these bacteria consume ethyl alcohol from wine or other alcoholic beverages producing acetic acid, i.e. vinegar.