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Apple cider vinegar is a standard vinegar which is found in most kitchens. It is relied on to add tang to dressings, rizing power to quick breads and helps to eliminate pathogens from salad greens.
Apple cider vinegar is fermented in two stages. Apples are pressed and fermented with naturally occurring yeast found on the apples. Once the first fermentation is complete the resulting cider is exposed to oxygen where acetic acid converts the alcohol into acetic acid (vinegar).
Without fermentation there would be no vinegar. It is an integral part of how all vinegars are made.
How apple cider is fermented
The fermentation process of apple cider vinegar starts with removing the juice from the apple fiber. This is done in production by pressing macerated apples with a hydraulic press but for small home batches a high efficiency juicer will work fine.
Apple juice is fermented with naturally occurring yeast. The yeast comes from the apples themselves, on the skin and within the flesh. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is found in large numbers on apples, this yeast has a high tolerance to alcohol and pleasant flavor profile producing cider.
This stage is done in anaerobic conditions to ensure the yeast has full access to as much of the sugar as possible. This limits the acetic acid bacteria growth which lowers the alcohol level and consumes small amounts of sugar.
How Apple Cider is Converted to Vinegar
Apple cider is made into vinegar by exposing it to oxygen. This is done by pouring the cider into a wide mouthed container and allowing oxygen exchange with the surface of the cider which the acetic acid bacteria use to produce acetic acid.
The cider is acidified with some already fermented apple cider vinegar to protect it from spoilage bacteria. The WHO states that a pH of 4.6 or lower will protect against most spoilage and pathogenic bacteria so the addition of some acidic vinegar prevents any unwanted growth.
The cider is then left alone for a month or so until the acetic acid bacteria have converted the alcohol into vinegar. During this time a vinegar mother will form on the surface of the container. It is produced by the acetic acid bacteria in the culture and helps to protect the vinegar from contamination. Once the alcohol in the vinegar is negligible and the acid level has risen to 5% or higher it is bottled.
Is apple cider vinegar a probiotic?
Contrary to what most people think, apple cider vinegar is not a probiotic. Probiotic foods are foods which supply active microbes to the digestive system in high numbers where they provide positive benefits to the host.
Once fermentation is complete few acetic acid bacteria remain in the vinegar, most have died off due to the limited food availability. This leaves too few to have any substantial effect on the gut microbiome and therefore not probiotic.
Even apple cider vinegar which has the mother does not have enough probiotic bacteria in it to make it a probiotic. The mother is made up of cellulose which is produced by the acetic acid bacteria. This cellulose is not living, it does have some live bacteria in it but the population is not high enough or of the right types to qualify as a probiotic.
The prebiotic Value of Apple Cider Vinegar
Although apple cider vinegar is not probiotic it does have prebiotic compounds in it which help to feed healthy microorganisms in the digestive system. The prebiotics are produced by the yeasts used to ferment the apple juice to cider. The main one being Saccharomyces cerevisiae but others are also present.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an important yeast in the production of commercial prebiotic formulations designed to deliver high amounts of prebiotic material to the gut microbiome.
Other prebiotics are produced by the acetic acid bacteria which also provide a wide array of organic acids which are valuable for adding health benefits as well as flavor to the vinegar.
Does apple cider vinegar have alcohol?
Just like any other fermented food, apple cider vinegar has trace amounts of alcohol. It is produced by the yeasts which convert the sugar into alcohol. The presence of the alcohol provides energy for small amounts of the acetic acid bacteria to survive.
Without some residual alcohol the live acetic acid bacteria do not have anything to live on. When this happens the acetic acid culture converts to using the acetic acid as a food source. When this happens the vinegar’s pH will begin to rise as the acetic acid is used and replaced with carbon dioxide and water.
It is important to maintain some alcohol in the vinegar to prevent the acetic acid bacteria from fully converting to the strain which consumes the acetic acid and raises the pH of the vinegar.
Can apple cider vinegar be consumed everyday?
Just like anything this depends on the volume you are consuming. There are some benefits to consuming apple cider vinegar on a regular basis but too much of a good thing can lead to bad results.
Apple cider vinegar is generally considered safe for most people and can be consumed daily when consumed within normal limits. Two tablespoons a day is the recommended amount. Dilute it with water or fruit juice as it has a high acid content which could affect teeth and irritate the throat.
A better way to consume apple cider vinegar is to use it as an ingredient in meals such as salad dressing, savory sauces or dips. Just like any food its benefits are enhanced when it is taken in a natural way. Drinking a sour liquid by the spoonful is not natural!
8 Ways to 2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar a Day
- Add it to your morning smoothie
- Add it to pancakes or other quickbread baking for extra rising power
- Use it to make homemade ketchup
- Make tangy dilly dip for vegetables
- Dress a salad with apple cider vinegar and oil
- Use it to add tang to a sauce
- Add it to gazpacho soup
- Make a hot apple tonic