Latest News

August 2009

Vinegar May Prevent Build Up of Fat
According to foodnavigator-usa.com, a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that animals fed a high-fat diet (50% of energy from fat) and supplemented with acetic acid at two different levels developed about 10 per cent less body fat than mice just eating the diet. TheJapanese researchers, led by Tomoo Kondo from the Central Research Institute of the Mizkan Group Corporation, found that vinegar was working at a genetic level, by influencing genes linked to fatty acid oxidation and heat-generating (energy burning) proteins. According to the researchers, "The results of this study suggest that acetic acid suppresses body fat accumulation by increasing fatty oxidation and thermogenesis in the liver through PPAR-alpha.” Use this link for further information.

Fruit Vinegar Beverages Predicted to Share Portion of Soft Drinks Market
Himfr.com, one of China's leading B2B search platforms, predicts that fruit vinegar beverages will be sharing a considerable portion in the lucrative soft drinks market. According to an article on PRNewswire-Asia, Himfr.com states that fruit vinegar beverages have become a new growth point in the beverage market. China's fruit vinegar beverages have such market potential, that over the next few years, fruit vinegar beverages in China are expected to maintain rapid growth. In 2010, China's fruit vinegar beverages market scale is expected to reach 2 billion yuan. 2012, it is expected to exceed 5 billion yuan.

The article notes, "Himfr's food experts believe that the process of twice submerged fermentation based on fermented apple cider vinegar combining with sweeteners, citric acid, calcium lactate and other additives give fruit vinegar beverages their unique sweet and sour and refreshing taste, which, along with high nutritious value and health properties including slimming, increase in appetite, boosting immunity and lipid-lowering efficacy, make these beverages popular among all including health conscious communities."

West Virginia Considers Repealing Law that Bans Added Caramel Coloring to Vinegar
The wvgazette.com (West Virginia) reports that West Virginia's Department of Agriculture is evaluating current agriculture-related laws, working to remove those that are obsolete. One such law governs the production of apple vinegar and the ban on adding caramel color to cider vinegar to falsify its appearance, which has been in effect since the 1930s. According to Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass, the law is no longer needed because the Food and Drug Administration regulates vinegar, which now comes in a variety of forms.

Vinegar and The Vinegar Institute Mentioned in Forbes.com
Forbes.com recently featured a story about the new Japanese study that found vinegar might help avoid weight gain. The article cites some history on vinegar and directs readers to The Vinegar Institute's Web site for additional information.

Saltiness and Acidity (using vinegar): Detection and Recognition Thresholds and Their Interaction Near the Threshold
In a recent issue of the Journal of Food Science (a publication of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)), a study was published titled, "Saltiness and Acidity: Detection and Recognition Thresholds and Their Interaction Near the Threshold." According to a recent IFT newsletter about the study, it was noted that vinegar may enhance saltiness and enable lower sodium content.

The interaction of saltiness and acidity at the threshold level was studied with 35 to 40 young female panelists. As a first step, the detection and recognition thresholds of salt, rice vinegar and rice black vinegar were measured. Levels were then varied. The researchers found that both the detection and recognition thresholds of salt were decreased with the existence of the added vinegar ingredient. This tendency was more pronounced with rice black vinegar than with rice vinegar. However, no significant changes in the threshold of both detection and recognition were observed when salt at the half concentration of the detection threshold was added to rice vinegar. The researchers noted that was an interesting finding “since this breaks the symmetry of the enhancement/suppression between saltiness and acidity commonly believed.

National Vinegar Month Touted in Fusion Magazine
Fusion Magazine - "the one-stop-story-shop for today's woman"-- featured a story about May as National Vinegar Month. Staff was contacted about the story, which can be viewed using this link. Readers also were directed to The Vinegar Institute's Web site for further information.