After checking out more than 30 types of vinegar in the supermarket, the most recommended one is... You won’t waste your money after reading this!

In the fast-paced life, people often pursue simplicity and convenience when purchasing food. Vinegar is a common condiment, but its price difference is puzzling.

Some people think that vinegar is just for seasoning and there is no need to spend a lot of money on it; while others firmly believe that expensive vinegar must have its own unique features. Faced with such confusion, we can't help but ask: What is the difference between vinegar that costs a few yuan and vinegar that costs dozens of yuan?

Where does vinegar come from?

To understand the price differences of vinegar, you first need to understand the origin and classification of vinegar.

1

Vinegar is the product of wine fermentation

There are many legends about the origin of vinegar. The most well-known one is that Du Kang's son was helping his father Du Kang make wine. Due to laziness, he did not strictly control the fermentation temperature and time of the wine, and accidentally made vinegar from the wine. So vinegar is the product of alcohol fermentation.

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In fact, according to the definition of vinegar in the national standard GB 2719-2018 "Edible Vinegar", the essence of vinegar is an acidic condiment made by fermenting raw materials containing starch and sugars (such as fruits, grains, potatoes, etc.) or alcohol.

2

Classification of vinegar

According to the different raw materials and production processes, vinegar can be divided into many types, such as aged vinegar, rice vinegar, fruit vinegar, white vinegar, etc. Each type of vinegar has its own unique taste and use.

At present, some regions in China have their own representative vinegars, such as Shanxi aged vinegar, Zhenjiang fragrant vinegar, Sichuan Baoning vinegar, etc. These vinegars are basically made from the main grains produced in their respective regions, combined with their own traditional brewing techniques.

Some vinegars are geographical indication products and have corresponding standards. For example, the national standard for Shanxi aged vinegar is GB/T 19777, the national standard for Zhenjiang fragrant vinegar is GB/T 18623, the national standard for Yongchun aged vinegar is GB/T 26531, and the national standard for Duliu (aged) vinegar is GB/T 19461-2008.

If you are interested in this kind of regional vinegar, try to choose products produced according to relevant standards, which will be more authentic.

What is the difference between high-priced vinegar and low-priced vinegar?

The price difference between vinegar that costs 2 yuan a bag and vinegar that costs hundreds of yuan a bottle is dozens of times. Is the actual difference really that big?

After analyzing the raw materials, production processes, etc. of more than 30 types of vinegar, we found that there are significant differences in quality, raw materials, brewing processes and taste between high-priced vinegar and low-priced vinegar.

High-priced vinegar often has these characteristics:

1

High total acidity

High-priced vinegar generally has a higher total acid content. The total acid value represents the amount of acetic acid produced during the fermentation process of vinegar and is an important indicator of vinegar quality.

For brewing vinegar, the higher the total acidity , the higher the degree of fermentation, the stronger the sour taste of the vinegar, and the better the quality . At the same time, the higher the total acidity, the stronger the acidity, and the better it can prevent bacterial contamination, so that the vinegar can be preserved for a longer time .

Generally speaking, high-quality vinegar not only has a high acidity, but also has a mild sour taste, is slightly sweet, not astringent, and has a long aftertaste due to strict control of other indicators such as non-volatile acidity and pH.

2

Long brewing time and good craftsmanship

The high total acidity of high-priced vinegar is mainly due to the long brewing time and relatively better craftsmanship. In the product details page of high-priced vinegar, you can often see the promotion of xx years of aging.

High-priced vinegar usually takes longer to brew. Generally, the traditional solid-state fermentation process is used. This long fermentation helps the beneficial ingredients in the vinegar to fully form, with moderate acidity, making the taste of the vinegar mellower, with rich layers and unique aroma, which can enhance the overall flavor of the dish .

Low-priced vinegar may use liquid fermentation or short-term solid fermentation. Its brewing time is relatively short and the process may be relatively simple. It has higher acidity, lacks layering, and has a relatively simple flavor. Therefore, its taste and flavor are lacking compared to high-priced vinegar.

3

Simple raw materials and few additives

High-priced vinegar is mostly made of high-quality materials, such as high-quality grains, organic raw materials, natural water sources, etc., to ensure the product is pure and high quality . For example, the following one has a clean ingredient list, only water and grains. Good craftsmanship guarantees the taste, color and storage time.

In order to reduce costs, low-priced vinegar may be brewed using ordinary grains, alcohol, or raw materials containing certain additives, shortening the fermentation time and making up for the shortcomings by adjusting the taste, color, etc.

This one has caramel color for color, sodium benzoate for preservation, and sucrose for flavoring.

You should pay attention to these points when buying vinegar!

1

See standards or geographical indications

GB/T19777, GB/T 18623 (special grade) can be directly selected

Shanxi vinegar currently accounts for half of the market. Among the 30 best-selling vinegars I have compiled, 12 are from Shanxi. The well-known Zilin, Shuita, Ninghuafu, and Donghu are all Shanxi vinegar brands.

After comparing 30 condiments, I found that if you don't want to use your brain and look at the standards when choosing condiments, just choose GB/T19777 and GB/T 18623 (special grade) . By comparing with other common implementation standards, you can see which one is more stringent.

In addition to total acid, there are more requirements for vinegar with geographical indications. In addition to total acid, non-volatile acid and soluble salt-free solids, the national standard of Shanxi aged vinegar also stipulates indicators such as amino acid nitrogen and reducing sugar. Amino acid nitrogen ensures the freshness of vinegar, while sugar, ester and pH ensure the mellow taste. Therefore, the most direct way to pursue good vinegar is to look at the standards.

If you don't know how to read it, you can look for the geographical indication when buying vinegar.

2

Check the total acidity. Total acidity ≥ 5 means more complete fermentation.

Although it is mentioned above that vinegar that complies with GB/T19777 and GB/T 18623 is preferred, because these two standards are for local vinegar in Shanxi and Zhenjiang, for vinegar produced in most other regions, the standard GB/T 18187 "Brewed Vinegar" is basically used.

When choosing this type of vinegar, you should look at the total acidity.

Although the national standard requires that the total acidity of solid-state fermented vinegar should be ≥3.5, in fact, this is the minimum requirement. If you want to buy good vinegar, the total acidity should be at least 5. If conditions permit, it is best to choose 6 or above.

3

Look at the ingredient list

As a condiment, everyone has different tastes in vinegar.

If you value ingredients, pursue quality, and like natural taste, it is recommended that you choose the one with only "water and grains" in the ingredients. This kind of product does not have too many additional additives and the ingredients are also natural.

If you only care about the taste of vinegar and don’t have high requirements for the ingredients, then the composition of the ingredient list is not that important. Just choose a cheap and regular product.

Using vinegar in this way has great health benefits!

There are many rumours about the efficacy of vinegar, such as softening blood vessels, lowering blood lipids and blood pressure... In fact, not many of them have been proven so far. Here are some suggestions for eating vinegar to improve your health.

When hygiene and safety are high requirements, add some vinegar appropriately.

Many water-soluble vitamins can be protected in an acidic environment, allowing nutrients to be retained. In addition to nutrition, vinegar also has a positive effect on food safety. The pH of vinegar is only about 3, which is highly acidic and has a certain bactericidal effect. When mixing cold dishes, you can add some vinegar to help inhibit bacterial growth and extend the storage time.

In addition, some elderly people are reluctant to throw away potatoes when they see them sprout. In addition to digging deep to remove the sprouted parts, adding vinegar during cooking can also destroy a certain amount of solanine and reduce the risk of poisoning.

Vinegar is not only a condiment, but also an indispensable part of our daily life. When purchasing vinegar, we should pay attention to the raw materials, craftsmanship and quality, and make reasonable choices according to our own needs. When using vinegar, we should also pay attention to the method and amount, so that the sour aroma and taste of vinegar can add more color to our dining table and protect our health.

Finally, when choosing vinegar, you should still consider factors such as your personal dietary preferences, and there is no need to blindly pursue high-priced products.

References

[1] GB 18187-2000 Brewing vinegar

[2] GB 2719-2018 Vinegar

[3] GB/T 18623-2011 Geographical Indication Product Zhenjiang Vinegar

[4] GB/T 19777-2013 Geographical Indication Product - Shanxi Aged Vinegar

[5] GB/T 22099-2008 Identification method for brewed acetic acid and synthetic acetic acid

[6] Liatis S, Grammatikou S, Poulia KA, Perrea D, Makrilakis K, Diakoumopoulou E, Katsilambros N. Vinegar reduces postprandial hyperglycaemia in patients with type II diabetes when added to a high, but not to a low, glycaemic index meal. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Jul;64(7):727-32. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2010.89.

[7] Wang Tian, ​​Xu Tongcheng, Xie Jianwei, et al. Meta-analysis of the effects of acetic acid intake on postprandial blood glucose[J]. Chinese Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2009, 17(3): 144-147. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.1674-635X.2009.03.005.

[8] Chinese Nutrition Society. Complete Book of Chinese Nutrition Science (Volume 2/Volume 1)

Planning and production

Author: Li Chun, National Registered Nutritionist

Review丨Zhang Yu, Researcher, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Doctor of Medicine

Ruan Guangfeng Director of Science and Technology Department of Kexin Food and Nutrition Information Exchange Center

Planning丨Wang Mengru

Editor: Wang Mengru

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin