There’s funny looking stuff floating around in my vinegar bottle. What is this?
A. Almanacs make reference to “Mother of Vinegar” as a starter to produce vinegar. Pasteur noticed that every liquid capable of being converted into vinegar developed organisms immediately after the commencement of the formation of vinegar. In the finished product of vinegar, the following are present: Alcohol, and other unused nutrients. Their presence, plus oxygen, airborne bacteria and yeast contributes to the formation of “Mother”. “Mother of Vinegar”, a scum-like material, is not a single substance or organism, but a mixture. This can happen in several ways- a loose cap, a bottle with a pinhole in it and by opening a bottle, removing some contents and reclosing it. Vinegar containing “Mother” is not toxic and at no time were you in any danger. The scum may be removed by filtering and the organisms destroyed by sterilization. A coffee filter works quite well, after which the vinegar may be reheated to 165 degrees to kill any bacteria present. We do not use any chemical inhibitors t
