ABSTRACT
In developing countries, vinegar production is an acceptable method for preserving vegetables and highly perishable fruit via fermentation, especially in countries with hot and humid weather, when decomposition processes are fast. The critical steps in vinegar production include raw material preparation and fermentation. European countries have regional standards for vinegar that is produced or sold in these countries. Many different kinds of vinegars are produced worldwide that differ for their raw material, production system and use. Several botanical species can be employed in vinegar production as they have two main basic attributes: they are safe for human and animal consumption, and they comprise a direct or indirect fermentable sugar source. Vinegar production in small and large industries is performed without the use of a selected starter culture of acetic acid bacteria. Other bacteria that can grow in vinegar environments are lactic acid bacteria and spore-forming bacilli.
