Vinegar - Jared Foat

Vinegar comes from two French words meaning “sour wine”. The production of vinegar comes from the fermentation of alcohol. The alcohol is brought to a boil and the vapors are collected and distilled with water forming vinegar. Ethanol is converted into acetic acid which is the scientific name for vinegar. It is an organic compound with the chemical formula of CH₃COOH. No one person is credited with discovery of vinegar and this is because it is a naturally occurring process. It is a colorless liquid and one of the simplest carboxylic acids. It is also a hydrophilic (polar) solvent similar to water. It likely was discovered by accident however records indicate that ancient Greeks used it for preserving food and also as a beverage. There are many different types of vinegar ranging from white which is the most common to dark brown vinegars that can be formed from the malting process of barley.  There are many culinary uses for vinegar such as pickling because of its acidic properties. The pH of vinegar for most commercial uses can range from 2.4-3.4 which is why it has a bitter taste. Because of the acidic pH of vinegar it is commonly used as a household cleaning agent because it can kill bacteria and dissolve mineral deposits.