Facts and fiction, science and technology: the balsamic vinegar case study

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

Unimore Microbial Culture Collection

Facts and Fiction, Science and

Technology: the Balsamic Vinegar

Case Study

Vinegar production is regulated by an extensive

set of statutes and vinegar definition changes

FAO/WHO defines vinegar as any liquid, fit

for human consumption, produced exclusively

from suitable products containing starch

and/or sugars by the process of double

fermentation, first alcoholic and then acetous.

The residual ethanol content must be less than

0.5% in wine vinegar and less than 1% in other

vinegars, respectively. (Joint FAO/WHO Food

Standards Programme).

European countries have regional standards for

vinegar produced or sold in the area. EU

established a threshold both for acidity and

ethanol content, respectively a minimum of

5% (w/v) acidity and a maximum of 0.5%

(v/v) ethanol.

Wine vinegar is obtained exclusively by

acetous fermentation of wine and has at least

6% acidity (w/v) and 1.5% (v/v) of ethanol

(Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999).

- Fruits

- Seeds

- Vegetables

- Milk and Honey

- Spirit (Alcohol)

Vinegar

Acidity (% w/v) Ethanol (% v/v)

Malt vinegar

4.3-5.9

Cider vinegar

3.9-9.0

0.03

Wine vinegar

(semicontinuous process)

4.4-7.4

(8-14)

0.05-0.3

Rice vinegar

4.2-4.5

0.68

Chinese rice vinegar*

6.8-10.9

-Cashew vinegar

4.6

0.13

Coconut water vinegar

8.28

0.42

Mango vinegar

4.92

0.35

Sherry vinegar

>7.0

Pineapple vinegar

5.34

0.67

Balsamic vinegar of

Raw Material Grouping

-Acid and easy fermentable: pH below 3.5 and glucose,

fructose and sucrose as main constituent, e.g. berry grape,

apple, plums, etc.

-Moderate acid and easy fermentable: pH in between 3.5 to

4.5, e.g. figs, dates

-Low acid and easy fermentable: pH higher than 4.5 e.g. palm

sap

-Non-fermentable: hydrolysis is required before fermentation.

Raw Material Grouping

-Acid and easy fermentable: pH below 3.5 and glucose,

fructose and sucrose as main constituent, e.g. berry grape,

apple, plums, etc.

Raw Material Grouping

-Moderate acid and easy fermentable: pH in between 3.5 to

4.5, e.g. figs, dates

Raw Material Grouping

-Low acid and easy fermentable: pH higher than 4.5 e.g. palm

sap

Raw Material Grouping

-Non-fermentable: hydrolysis is required before fermentation.

Mark Antony was impressed by the opulence of the court of Cleopatra.

Cleopatra (69-30 BC) to show haw much she wasn’t affected by richness, she dissolved a big pearl into

Hannibal (247

-181 BC), Punic

Carthaginian military commander,

Category Main ingredients Additives Protected Geographical Status Ageing

Colorants Aromas Thickeners Emulsifiers Preservati ves Generic balsamic vinegars Wine vinegar sugars

yes yes yes yes yes No No

Balsamic glazes, dressings, condiments Wine vinegar sugars

yes yes yes yes yes No No

Balsamic vinegar of Modena Wine vinegar Concentrat ed and/or cooked must Caramel (150 d) Carame l (150 d)

No No Sulfites(1) _PGI(2) _{At least}

60 DAYS Traditional Balsamic Vinegar(3) Cooked must No No No No No PDO(2) _{At least} 12 YEARS

Legend:

Z= sugars concentration g/kg, assay by Fehling °Bx = Brixs, soluble solids assay by refractometer Z = numeric difference between Z and °Bx

TA = titratable acidity

FA = fixed acidity (Titratable acidity – Acetic acid)

BV, BC, ABM, TBV = respectively: Balsamic Vinegar, Balsamic Condiment, Modena Balsamic Vinegar;

The age of Traditional Balsamic

Vinegar

- Residence time

- Aging indicators

Dall'Aquila estense al tricolore.

Donne, uomini e aceto nel ducato

tra il 1796 al 1860

Ugo Rangone

,

Giovanna Giacobazzi

Status delle denominazioni geografiche protette (DP)

Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP)

Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP)

IT/PDO/0017/1565 Italy Aceto balsamico

tradizionale di Modena PDO 20/04/2000 Registered IT/PDO/0017/1566 Italy Aceto balsamico

tradizionale di Reggio Emilia

PDO 20/04/2000 Registered

IT/PGI/0005/0430 Italy Aceto Balsamico di

Modena PGI 04/07/2009 Registered ES/PDO/0005/0723 Spain Vinagre de Jerez PDO 05/10/2011 Registered ES/PDO/0005/0724 Spain Vinagre del Condado de

Huelva PDO 05/10/2011 Registered ES/PDO/0005/0726 Spain Vinagre de

Montilla-Moriles PDO 03/11/2012 Registered CN/PGI/0005/0630 China   _{江香醋 镇}

      Zhenjiang Xiang

Cu

PGI 22/09/2012 Registered

To make the artificial Balsamic Vinegar in a few

years, according to Prof. Barani (19

Century, or at

the very beginning of the 20

Century)

Common vinegar, the most acidic quality, 4 steins

(0,568 ml?)

Evaporated grape must, nearly syrup, 4 steins

They must be blended and then added with:

Nutmeg: 2 dramas (20 grams) (1 drama = 10 grams)

Cloves: 1.5 dramas (15 grams)

Cinnamon: 0.5 ounce

Coriander: 2 ounces

The improbable age

Mussini 100 Year Balsamic Vineagr, Il Grande Vecchio, 2.39 Ounce Glass Bottlehttp://www.amazon.com/Mussini-Balsamic-Vineagr-Grande-Vecchio/dp/B0030MRJFY 100-year-old "Gran Riserva Oro" Balsamic Vinegar

http://www.bienmanger.com/2F2621_100_Years_Old_Balsamic_Vinegar_Gran_Riserva_Oro.html

Mussini 100 Year Balsamic Vineagr, Il Grande Vecchio, 2.39 Ounce Glass Bottle $224.99 http://www.amazon.com/Mussini-Balsamic-Vineagr-Grande-Vecchio/dp/B0030MRJFY

Balsamic Vinegar of Modena - 100 years old 68 g . £472.50 992,65 € / 100 g

http://www.edelices.co.uk/oils-vinegars/balsamic-vinegars-leonardi/balsamic-vinegar-modena-100-years-old-leonardi.html

Mussini 100 Year Balsamic Vineagr, Il Grande Vecchio, 2.39 Ounce Glass Bottle

http://www.amazon.com/Mussini-Balsamic-Vineagr-Grande-Vecchio/dp/B0030MRJFY

100-year-old "Gran Riserva Oro" Balsamic Vinegar

http://www.bienmanger.com/2F2621_100_Years_Old_Balsamic_Vinegar_Gran_Riserva_Oro.html