VINEGAR FERMENTATION

Background
Vinegar is an alcoholic liquid that has been allowed to sour. It is the product
made from the conversion of ethyl alcohol to acetic acid by a genus of bacteria,
Acetobacter. Therefore, vinegar can be produced from any alcoholic material from
alcohol-water mixtures to various fruit wines (Peppler and Beaman 1967). Its color
and aroma are greatly dependent on the material from which it is made. (Kehrer
1921)It is primarily used to flavor and preserve foods and as an ingredient in salad
dressings and marinades. Vinegar is also used as a cleaning agent. The word is from
the French vin (wine) and aigre (sour).
History of Vinegar Making
2500 BC
Sumerians were the first to begin using vinegar as a disinfectant and using it
to preserve food.
400's BC
Hippocrates and his fellow pioneers used vinegar mixed in medicine, applied
on the skin and as a drink.
1st century BC
Egyptians were using vinegar to preserve not only their food, but also as a
method of preserving during mummification.
794-1185
Samurai warriors of Japan used vinegar as a tonic
1860's
the
potential
for
commercializing
vinegar
expanded
with Louis
Pasteur's discovery.
1968
The Vinegar Institute began on January 17th
1999
The International Vinegar Museum was opened
on June 4th in Roslyn, South Dakota
2003
Vinegar was used to help treat an outbreak of pneumonia in China.
Types of Vinegar
Wine Vinegar
Wine vinegar is made from red or white wine, and is the most commonly used
vinegar in Southern and Central Europe. As with wine, there is a considerable range
in quality. Better-quality wine vinegars are matured in wood for up to two years, and
exhibit a complex, mellow flavor. Wine vinegar tends to have a lower acidity than
white or cider vinegars.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is made from cider or apple must, and has a brownishgold color. It is often
sold unfiltered and unpasteurized with the mother of vinegar present, as a natural
product. Because of its acidity, apple cider vinegar may be very harsh, even
burning, to the throat.
Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic vinegar is an aromatic aged vinegar produced in the Modena and

Reggio Emilia provinces of Italy. The original productTraditional Balsamic Vinegar
is made from the concentrated juice, or must of white Trebbiano grapes. It is very
dark brown, rich, sweet, and complex, with the finest grades being aged in
successive casks made variously of oak, mulberry, chestnut, cherry, juniper, ash,
and acacia wood
White Distilled Vinegar
This is obtained from vinegar by distillation, rejecting the fourth or eighth part
that comes over first, and avoid its acquiring a burnt flavor. Distilled vinegar is
weaker than the common but is used sometimes in pickles, where its want of color
is an advantage. Almost its entire production is derived from synthetic ethanol.
Rice Vinegar
Rice vinegar is made from the sugars found in rice, and the aged, filtered
final product has a mild, clean, and delicate flavor that is an excellent complement
to ginger or cloves, sometimes with the addition of sugar. Rice vinegar is most
popular in the cuisines of East and Southeast Asia. It is available in "white" (light
yellow), red, and black varieties.
Malt Vinegar
Malt vinegar, also called Alegar, is made by malting barley, causing the
starch in the grain to turn to maltose. Then an ale is brewed from the maltose and
allowed to turn into vinegar, which is then aged. It is typically light-brown in color. In
the United Kingdom and Newfoundland, salt and malt vinegar is a traditional
seasoning for fish and chips, but some commercial fish and chip shops will use nonbrewed condiments.
Cane Vinegar
Cane vinegar, made from sugarcane juice, is most popular in the Philippines,
in particular, the Ilocos Region of the northern Philippines (where it is called sukang
iloko), although it also is produced in France and the United States. It ranges from
dark yellow to golden brown in color, and has a mellow flavor, similar in some
respects to rice vinegar, though with a somewhat "fresher" taste. Because it
contains no residual sugar, it is no sweeter than any other vinegar. In the
Philippines, it often is labeled as sukang maasim.
Coconut Vinegar
Coconut vinegar, made from fermented coconut water, is used extensively in
Southeast Asian cuisine (particularly in the Philippines and Sri Lanka, major
producers, where it is called suka ng niyog or vinakiri), as well as in some cuisines
of India, especially Goan cuisine. A cloudy white liquid, it has a particularly sharp,
acidic taste with a slightly yeasty note.
Uses of Vinegar
Culinary
Vinegar is commonly used in food preparation, in particular in pickling
processes, vinaigrettes, and other salad dressings. It is an ingredient in sauces such
as mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise. Other uses as a condiment or as a Flavoring.

Beverage
Several beverages are made using vinegar, for instance Posca. Other
preparations range from simply mixing sugar water or honey water with small
amounts of fruity vinegar to making syrup by laying fruit or mint in vinegar essence
for several days, then sieving off solid parts, and adding considerable amounts of
sugar. Some prefer to also boil the result as a final step. These recipes have lost
much of their popularity with the rise of carbonated beverages, such as soft drinks.

Medical
Vinegar was thought to be useful for treating infections in ancient times.
Hippocrates (460377 BC) prescribed it for curing pleurisy, fever, ulcers, and
constipation; it was used by the ancient Egyptians to kill bacteria. When combined
with honey to create oxymel, it was a common cough medicine in the ancient world.
The active ingredient in vinegar, acetic acid, can effectively kill mycobacteria, even
highly drug-resistant strains. Acetic acid could be used as an inexpensive and nontoxic disinfectant against drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) bacteria as well as other
stubborn, disinfectant-resistant mycobacteria.
Antimicrobial
Vinegar is a mainstay of the old folk recipes for cleaning, and with good
reason. The vim of the vinegar is that it kills bacteria, mold and germs. The active
ingredient in vinegar, acetic acid, can effectively kill mycobacteria, even highly
drug-resistant strains.
Vinegar Manufacturing Companies in the Philippines
NutriAsia Philippines
The Philippine's foremost producer, marketer and distributor of quality sauces
and condiments.
As the leading player in the local sauces and condiments market, they are known
for producing iconic Filipino brands that continue to be part of every Filipino home.
Silver Swan Manufacturing Co. Inc.
It is the country's leading provider of high-quality condiments and food
products such as its popular soy sauce and vinegar. Silver Swan has sought to
actively pursue different tastes, sauces, and techniques to raise the bar for the
industry as a whole through innovation, product development, and advancement.
Mama Sitas Holding Co. Inc.
Teresita Mama Sita Reyes was born into a family of eminent culinary
heritage, a legacy that now owes its most celebrated chapter to her own lifelong
love for cooking. Through decades of hard work, her expertise came into its own,
creating a reputation that precedes her with a spirit and flavor that is unmistakably
Filipino. Today, this spirit emboldens those who continue to bring her best to the
world, and build on her legacy long after the last piece of kare-kare has been
served.

Barrio Fiesta Manufacturing Corporation

The most trusted Brand name in Home cooking. Barrio Fiesta Manufacturing
Corporation (BFMC) was established in 1987. In 1997, Barrio Fiesta introduced the
ready-to-eat canned meals to the Philippine market. It offers bagoong, canned
meals, condiments, fruit preserves, mixes, bottled sauted shrimp paste, and pancit
canton products. Barrio Fiesta Manufacturing Corp. produces food products for
customers in the Philippines and internationally.
Manufacturing Processes of Vinegar
Orleans Process
The slow method of acetifying wine which has been used in France since
1670 is called the French or Orleans process. Wooden barrels are used and are filled
with alcohol fermenting liquid to almost three quarters full. Holes are drilled into the
ends of the barrel a few inches above the liquid level in order to allow air circulation.
The holes are left open and netting or screens are placed over the holes in order to
prevent insects from getting into the barrels. Fresh vinegar is added to the barrel to
acidify the liquid to the point of optimum growth necessary for the vinegar bacteria.
The vinegar bacteria settle down into the liquid and a slimy layer develops on the
top of the liquid.
Submerged Process
The submerged fermentation method is commonly used in the production of
wine vinegars. Production plants are filled with large stainless steel tanks called
acetators. The acetators are fitted with centrifugal pumps in the bottom that pump
air bubbles into the tank in much the same way that an aquarium pump does. As
the pump stirs the alcohol, acetozym nutrients are piped into the tank. The
nutrients spur the growth of acetobacters on the oxygen bubbles. A heater in the
tank keeps the temperature between 80 and 100F (26-38C). Within a matter of
hours, the alcohol product has been converted into vinegar. The vinegar is piped
from the acetators to a plate-and-frame filtering machine. The stainless steel plates
press the alcohol through paper filters to remove any sediment, usually about 3% of
the total product. The sediment is flushed into a drain while the filtered vinegar
moves to the dilution station.
Generator Process
The German method is one such way, known as the generator process or
also known as the quick process. In this process the alcoholic solution to be
acetified is allowed to trickle down through a tall tank or column packed with porous
solid material on whose surface Acetobacter bacteria are permitted to grow.
Suitable solids, which are frequently used, are wood shavings or corncobs. This
column in the vinegar industry is known as a generator.
Tower Fermentors (Column Fermentors)
The tower fermentors is a relatively new aeration system applied to vinegar
production. The fermentor is constructed of polypropylene reinforced with fiber
glass. Aeration is accomplished through a plastic perforated plate covering the cross
section of the tower and holding up the liquid.
Raw materials in Making Vinegar

The major raw materials for the production of vinegar are fruits. Yeast, sugar,
colorants and chemicals such as phosphates, ammonium and potassium salts,
potassium meta- bisulphate, etc. are the other raw materials used in small amount.
The following are the raw materials used in Vinegar making presented in a tabular
form with its corresponding function:
Raw Materials
Function
Alcohol diluted
products
- Adds flavor to the vinegar

Yeast
-

break
down
sugars
using
alcoholic fermentation into CO2
and ethyl alcohol (ethanol)

It help speed up the process if

the amount of sugar added
makes up to 8% of the
ingredients present, more then
that and it will begin to suffocate
yeast and slow down the
fermentation process

Helps in the formation of

alcohol and acetic acid

Brewing Sugar

Chemicals (i.e.
phosphates,
potassium salts,
etc.)

Colorants

Adds the color to the vinegar

Unit Processes in Mass Production of Vinegar

Fermentation (Heart of the Process)
Fermentation or fermenting are terms used to describe the conversion of organic
materials by bacterial, fungal or other biological cell structures, or by an enzyme.
The three acetators form the core of our vinegar production system. This is where vinegar
based on red wine, white wine, cider and pure, high-proof alcohol is produced using state-ofthe-art equipment and the gentle submerged or acetator method. The initial phase of the
conversion process can take up to eight days. The subsequent phase involves the continuous
conversion of alcohol into vinegar. The bacteria are at their most effective during this phase.
Conditions: Constant 30C, oxygen supply and regular injection of alcohol to replace the vinegar
produced. The percentage of oxygen, bacteria and input/output volume is precisely defined. The
maximum level of acidity is approx. 12%. Regular lab tests ensure that the quality remains the
same throughout the entire process.

Vinegar undergoes Two process of Fermentation:

a) Alcohol Fermentation
Fruit juices and sugar solutions of low concentration ferment of
their own accord due to wild yeast normally present in the fruits and in
the atmosphere but this is not desirable because different yeasts
produce different kinds of decomposition products. In order to get good
vinegar it is essential to destroy all these naturally occurring yeasts
and other micro organisms by pasteurization and then to inculcate the
sterilized juices thus obtained with pure yeast. Pure wine is available in
the market in a compressed form. A starter is prepared from this by
adding to the fruit and sugar solution to be fermented. Alcoholic
fermentation occurs in two stages. The first is preliminary or the
vigorous fermentation and the second is slow fermentation. During the
first 3 - 6 days most of the sugar is converted into alcohol and
carbonates. The second fermentation is much slower and usually takes
2 - 3 weeks. Under favorable conditions, the fermentation completes in
a period ranging from 72 to 96 hours, completely fermented juice
usually exhibits a reading of about zero or less. When fermentation is
complete, the yeasts and the fruit pulp settle to form a compact mass
at the bottom of the cask. The fermented liquid is separated from this
sedimentation by siphoning.
b) Acetic Acid Fermentation

Acetic acid fermentation is brought about by acetic acid bacteria

called acetobacter. Acetic acid fermentation should be carried in dark
rooms fitted with orange and red glass pans. For acetic 10 acid
fermentation, the alcohol content of the fermented liquid is adjusted to
7 - 8% alcohol because acetic acid bacteria do not function properly at
high strength.
Pasteurization
The final ingredients, such as salt, sugar, honey, etc. are added right at the
very end. The vinegar is analysed once more and approved for bottling by
Production. The vinegar passes through the pasteurizer before being pumped along
a ceiling pipe to the bottling facility. A constant temperature of 65C must be
maintained for the duration of the bottling process.
Filtration
There are two different ways of filtering vinegar ultrafiltration and
microfiltration. The main difference between ultrafiltration and microfiltration lies in
the varying pore sizes and membrane structure. Nutrex uses microfiltration. The
pore size is > 0.1 m (1 micrometre (m) = 0.001 mm). This is much smaller than
in ultrafiltration. Microfiltration is a purely physical (automated) membrane
separation method which is based on the principle of automated size exclusion.
Vinegar particles which are larger than the membrane pores are retained.
This produces a clear vinegar with no sediments or mother of vinegar. This
microfiltration process is bypassed in the production of cloudy organic cider vinegar
and so the cloudiness remains.
Maturation/Ageing
After the fermentation process is over, the vinegar is ready for use or for
maturation in oak barrels according to the final desired product. The ageing is
generally brought about in tanks or in barrels that are kept full and closed so that
destruction of acid by oxidation of the vinegar bacteria will not occur. The aged
vinegar should be blended as per the recipe by adding caramel, colour, etc. and is
filtered. The maturation process softens the taste of the vinegar which then
acquires a velvety taste, whilst maintaining its piquant tones and its excellent body,
enhancing its color. With the natural fermentation the vinegar maintains all the the
micro-organisms both of the alcoholic fermentation as well as the acetification. It
contains many micronutrients which are beneficial to our health, as opposed to
vinegars that are produced industrially by methods of quick acetification.
Bottling
The bottling machine for small receptacles destined for the retail sector
comprises parts of various sizes. The machine can thus be easily customized to
different bottle sizes by using different sized parts. It is also important to adjust the
distance parameters and computerized data to suit the new receptacle. Distinctions
are primarily made between different types of bottle and seal, colours, datemarking,
self-adhesive or wet glue labels, boxes and pallet patterns. The bottling process for
0.25 l, 0.5 l (glass) and 1 l (PET) bottles is currently fully automated.

Reactions involved in Vinegar Fermentation

Initially, alcohol is dehydrogenated to form acetaldehyde and two

hydrogen ions
and two electrons are released. In the second step, two hydrogen ions bind
with
oxygen to form water that hydrates acetaldehyde to form aldehyde. During
step three,
aldehyde dehydrogenase converts acetaldehyde to acetic acid and releases
2 hydrogen
ions and 2 electrons.