[Sca-cooks] Gluten Free Dijon Mustard

[Terry Decker]

It's one of those oft repeated Urban Legends with a factual basis.  Vinegar 
is a weak acetic acid (5% is the common vinegar) produced by natural 
fermentation.  IIRC, most white vinegar is distilled from grain then cut 
with water.  Unlike other vinegars which have small amounts of other 
chemicals, white vinegar has been distilled to be pure acetic acid.  Acetic 
acid is produced from petroleum for industrial purposes.  Chemically, there 
is no distinction between distilled acetic acids.  If you pick up a bottle 
of white distilled vinegar from the grocery and a bottle of petroleum based 
acetic acid from the pharmacy, other than concentration there should be no 
discernable difference between the products.  The caveat is that petroleum 
based acetic acid is normally not prepared in a manner to produce an 
FDA-accepted food grade product.

I find distilled white vinegar best for cleaning and as a mordant, so I 
probably wouldn't care if they did make it from petroleum.

Bear

> Where did you find that distilled vinegar is made from petroleum products?
>
> Arianwen ferch Arthur