1. Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia
Unimore Microbial Culture Collection
Facts and Fiction, Science and Technology: the Balsamic Vinegar Case Study

2. Facts

3. Vinegar production is regulated by an extensive set of statutes and vinegar definition changes from a country to other

4. 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).

5. 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).

8. Vinegar made of X Vinegar flavored with X

9. Fruits
Seeds
Vegetables
Milk and Honey
Spirit (Alcohol)
Piroligneus

10. Vinegar
Acidity (% w/v)
Ethanol (% v/v)
Malt vinegar
Cider vinegar
0.03
Wine vinegar
(semicontinuous process)
(8-14)
Rice vinegar
0.68
Chinese rice vinegar* -
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 Modena
> 6.00
< 1,5

14. Patulin

15. 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. e.g. seeds and banana

16. 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.

17. Raw Material Grouping
Moderate acid and easy fermentable: pH in between 3.5 to 4.5, e.g. figs, dates

18. Raw Material Grouping
Low acid and easy fermentable: pH higher than 4.5 e.g. palm sap

19. Raw Material Grouping
Non-fermentable: hydrolysis is required before fermentation. e.g. seeds and banana

20. Western stories and tales about vinegar

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

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

23. Hannibal (247 -181 BC), Punic Carthaginian military commander,

24. Facts on balsamic vinegars

27. Protected Geographical Status
Category
Main ingredients
Additives
Protected Geographical Status
Ageing
Colorants
Aromas
Thickeners
Emulsifiers
Preservati ves
Generic balsamic vinegars
Wine vinegar
sugars
yes No
Balsamic glazes, dressings, condiments
Wine vinegar sugars
Balsamic vinegar of Modena
Concentrat ed and/or cooked must
Caramel (150 d)
Carame l (150 d)
Sulfites(1)
PGI(2)
At least 60 DAYS
Traditional Balsamic Vinegar(3)
Cooked must
PDO(2)
At least 12 YEARS

28. As discriminating balsamic

30. 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;
Traditional Balsamic Vinegar.:

31. The age of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

32. Residence time
Aging indicators

39. Aging indicators

49. I balsamici sono una storia recente?

50. Ugo Rangone, Giovanna Giacobazzi
Dall'Aquila estense al tricolore. Donne, uomini e aceto nel ducato tra il 1796 al 1860
Ugo Rangone, Giovanna Giacobazzi
Technograph

51. Status delle denominazioni geografiche protette (DP)
Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP)
Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP)
Specialità Tradizionale Garantita (STG).

53. IT/PDO/0017/1565
Italy
Aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena
PDO
20/04/2000
Registered
IT/PDO/0017/1566  
Aceto balsamico tradizionale di Reggio Emilia
IT/PGI/0005/0430
Aceto Balsamico di Modena
PGI
04/07/2009
ES/PDO/0005/0723
Spain
Vinagre de Jerez
05/10/2011
ES/PDO/0005/0724 
Vinagre del Condado de Huelva
ES/PDO/0005/0726
Vinagre de Montilla-Moriles
03/11/2012
CN/PGI/0005/0630 
China
 镇江香醋      Zhenjiang Xiang Cu
22/09/2012

54. To make the artificial Balsamic Vinegar in a few years, according to Prof. Barani (19th Century, or at the very beginning of the 20th 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

56. The improbable age
Mussini 100 Year Balsamic Vineagr, Il Grande Vecchio, 2.39 Ounce Glass Bottle
100-year-old "Gran Riserva Oro" Balsamic Vinegar

57. The improbable age
Mussini 100 Year Balsamic Vineagr, Il Grande Vecchio, 2.39 Ounce Glass Bottle $224.99
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena years old 68 g . £ ,65 € / 100 g

58. Mussini 100 Year Balsamic Vineagr, Il Grande Vecchio, 2
Mussini 100 Year Balsamic Vineagr, Il Grande Vecchio, 2.39 Ounce Glass Bottle
100-year-old "Gran Riserva Oro" Balsamic Vinegar