alimony

Vinegar

What is vinegar?

Vinegar is a fluid with an acid pH obtained from the acetic fermentation of alcohol (and / or carbohydrates) thanks to the work of some aerobic bacteria. Among these microorganisms, the most widespread and used production strains are those of the genus Acetobacter (such as Bacterium aceti, more correctly called Acetobacter aceti ).

Vinegar in history

From the analysis of archaeological finds and ancient books it emerged that already the ancient Egyptians, 6, 000 years before the birth of Christ, produced, preserved and used vinegar. Even the Greek population (based on what Hippocrates wrote in 400 BC) made a medicinal use of it, while the Romans used it as a condiment, preservative and drink. In the Middle Ages it was already aware of its disinfectant power.

Physico-chemical properties

Vinegar is a liquid composed mainly of water, acetic acid, alcohol, aldehydes and compound ethers; in dilution, there are also free amino acids and mineral salts.

Vinegar does not evaporate and does not freeze in the same way as water. While the evaporation point of its water portion is about 100 ° C, the point of acetic acid is considerably higher, about 120 ° C. Moreover, unlike water - which reaches a solid consistency at about 0 ° C - acetic acid has a freezing temperature of about -17 ° C. However, let us remember that food vinegar has a percentage of acetic acid that generally fluctuates between 5% and 12% (depending on the type), which is why it freezes and evaporates as a whole in a manner more similar to water than to water. pure acetic acid.

Production

Mechanism for the production of wine vinegar

The vinegar is produced in barrels, tanks or autoclaves, in which the wine and the specific biological starter are placed. Inside them, the compound is continuously aerated because the microorganisms responsible for fermentation are of the obligatory aerobic type.

The alcohol content of the initial liquid should be between 8 and 10% (since the actual yield of the transformation is about one gram of acetic acid per gram of alcohol), while the optimal temperature is around 25-30 ° C. In dilution, some electrolytes such as phosphorus, calcium, iron and manganese play a fundamental role in the reaction. Overall, these conditions allow the microbiological development and formation of the so-called mycoderma aceti, a superficial layer of bacteria and organic substances similar to cellulose.

NB . Before marketing, the vinegar must also be filtered to remove the suspended mycoderma vinegars .

Loans

In Italy, the most well-known vinegar is undoubtedly that of wine, in all its varieties: white, red and balsamic.

Some think that vinegar is only the result of a bad alcoholic fermentation, but this is not the case. Actually, vinegar represents a food component of very general consumption, used above all for seasoning, the formulation of many recipes and as a preservative, but also as a mild antibiotic (bacteriostatic), as a stain remover, as a mild degreaser, as an odor-eater etc. NB . Acetic acid is also included in the list of additives with the abbreviation of E260.

Types of Vinegar

Types of vinegar: the most popular types of vinegar in Italy are grape juice or wine (white or red) and apples or mead; however, although less ancient, the "traditional balsamic" (typical Emilian) represents one of the most typical and typical Italian foods in the world.

On the other hand, vinegar can be obtained from the fermentation of different raw materials; those of rice, barley, plums, potatoes, malt, pears, bananas, raspberries, palm sap, sugar cane, coconut milk, pineapple, etc. are also well known.

Legislation

Fundamentals of wine vinegar / vinegar: according to national legislation, wine vinegar MUST be obtained by acetic fermentation of wine (ideally with an alcohol percentage close to 8-10%, as the "real" yield of fermentation is about 1: 1). Recent legislation also breaks down common and quality vinegars (for the latter, a minimum acidity of 7% is required). Furthermore, the addition of acidifying molecules, dyes and preservatives (eg sulfur dioxide) is not allowed, and both the aroma and the taste I must NOT possess any nuance of unpleasantness.

The European Union, on the other hand, does not distinguish common from quality vinegars and imposes a minimum acidity limit of 6%; it also prohibits the marketing of "vinegar" obtained by diluting acetic acid in water. These solutions are called "artificial vinegars".