Your Guide to Vinegar: The Best for Pickling, the Sneaky Labels, and How Long it Lasts

Vinegar is a staple ingredient in most households. It’s used in making so many recipes, from salad dressing to marinades, from appetizers to main dishes. It’s also a key component in making refrigerator pickles and many canning recipes.

Originally published February 2012; this post has been updated.

saucepan of vinegar brine being poured over a jar full of mixed vegetables.

Your Guide to Vinegar

Vinegar is a fermented product, 5-to-20% acetic acid. It’s used to preserve pickles in canning recipes, it tenderizes meat when used in a marinade, and paired with olive oil and some dried herbs, gives salad dressings the tangy kick you love.

The Harvard School of Public Health gives us a little history about vinegar: 

The word vinegar derives from the French “vin aigre,” or sour wine. It has been traced back to 5000 B.C.E.

Commercial vinegar is made from apple cider, wine, and grape juice (in the case of balsamic vinegar), but also corn. Be sure to scroll down to read more about this.

Different Types of Vinegar

There are a number of different types of vinegar, each imparting a different flavor and color to recipes. I like to keep several kinds of vinegar in the pantry, some for canning, some for adding to other recipes. 

  • White distilled vinegar is commonly used in pickling. It is derived from grain alcohol and has a strong but fairly neutral flavor as vinegars go. If you prefer to avoid potential GMO ingredients, Spectrum makes a white distilled vinegar that’s labeled as non-GMO.
  • Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting apple juice. Its flavor is a bit more fruity than white distilled vinegar. This filtered apple cider vinegar is labeled as non-GMO as well.
  • Rice vinegar has a mild flavor and is commonly used in Asian dishes. It’s made from, as you’d expect, fermented rice. Seasoned rice vinegar has added sweeteners, salt, and possibly MSG. 
  • Balsamic vinegar originated in Modena, Italy and is made from whole, pressed grapes which have been fermented. It’s a thick vinegar and much mellower in flavor than some of the other vinegars. 
  • Wine vinegar can be made from either red or white wine and is often used in salad dressing.
  • Malt vinegar is less common and made from fermented beer. 

filling glass jars with vinegar for pickling

What is Mother of Vinegar?

Have you ever had a bottle of vinegar that developed slimy threads floating in the liquid? Sounds gross, but that’s the mother of vinegar.

The mother of vinegar, sometimes just called the mother, develops during the fermentation process and is sometimes visible in unfiltered vinegar as stringy strands. Sometimes you’ll see it begin to form on the top of the vinegar.

These strands are full of living bacteria; unfiltered apple cider vinegar — acv — can be used as a starter to make your own vinegar (see page TK). Both filtered and unfiltered apple cider are safe for pickling and canning purposes, but you’ll pay a higher price for the unfiltered version.

The vinegar mother is entirely edible, but if you don’t want to consume it, simply strain the vinegar to remove it.

Mother of vinegar can also be used to kickstart your own homemade vinegar fermentation process.

You can find a recipe for making your own apple cider vinegar on page 38 in my book, Attainable Sustainable: The Lost Art of Self-Reliant Living (National Geographic). Homemade vinegar is not recommended for use in canning recipes.
jars of bright orange pickled carrots.

What’s the Best Vinegar for Canning and Pickling?

When preserving our homegrown produce, we want the best quality ingredients. We also want our home canned goods to be safe.

The pH of vinegar ranges from 2.40-3.40. The pH value isn’t typically noted on the product, though. Instead, vinegar is labeled with its acetic acid value. While this number isn’t important when using vinegar in cooking, it’s critical to know this number when following canning recipes.

Vinegar is commonly used for pickling vegetables, but it’s also used to acidify recipes like salsa and relishes. Borderline acidic foods like tomatoes call for the addition of vinegar, too.

The most important thing to know about choosing vinegar for food preservation is this: Choose a vinegar with an acetic acid value of 5%. This should be stated on the label. If you don’t know the acidity of the vinegar, don’t use it. 

Some vinegars on the market are only 4% acidity. Do not use these for canning recipes, as the vinegar is not acidic enough to result in a proper pH level for safe canning. 

You can safely exchange different types of vinegar in pickling or canning recipes, as long as the acidity levels are the same. For instance, a recipe that calls for distilled while vinegar can be made with apple cider vinegar. 

Related: How to Make Your Own Spicy Mustard at Home

sliced onion in a jar.

Related: Caramelized Onion Jam with Balsamic Vinegar

When is Apple Cider Vinegar Not Apple Cider Vinegar?

As with so many things, your vinegar may not be what it seems. Look closely at that jar of apple cider vinegar and you may see the word “flavored” tucked in there.

This vinegar isn’t made with apples, but rather grains such as corn, a crop that’s more often than not genetically engineered to withstand being sprayed by poisonous weed killer.

Apple cider vinegar – the real stuff – is available as a filtered or unfiltered product. Filtering apple cider vinegar removes the sediment that can remain after fermentation, along with the mother.

This product is usually pasteurized and is clearer than unfiltered apple cider vinegar, which is often unpasteurized and retains the mother.

The Handcrafted Pantry

Ready to DIY your pantry with more wholesome ingredients? Check out my ebook, The Handcrafted Pantry! Filled with delicious recipes for some of your favorite condiments, snacks, and toppings, it’s the guide you need to start skipping packaged products and embrace homemade.

What’s in Your Jug?

Heinz doesn’t address the ‘apple cider flavored’ option on its site, but here’s what they have to say about their clear distilled vinegar:

Heinz® Distilled White Vinegar is made from sun-ripened grain and crystal clear water.

Sun-ripened grain. That sounds nice, doesn’t it? But the picture that accompanies that statement shows an ear of corn. And you can bet that corn is transgenically modified.

Now, this may not change your buying habits at all. You might not be concerned about the idea of using potentially genetically modified ingredients in your canning. If you are, though, here’s what you need to know about choosing vinegar for pickling and canning recipes.

jugs of apple cider vinegar with labels

Related: How to Make Infused Vinegar

UPDATE

This screenshot is from their FAQ page, which is no longer available:

What you think is in your apple cider vinegar might not actually be in your apple cider vinegar. If you are a home canner or make pickles, take this into consideration.

 

So Heinz has two different apple cider vinegar products; one sourced from apples, the other sourced from corn and flavored to taste like apple cider vinegar.

From what I’ve seen, the smaller glass containers are the true product, while the gallon size jugs are the “flavored” versions. If you’re a home canner planning on pickling, odds are good that you’re reaching for the more economical jug of vinegar without giving it a second thought.

How Long Does Vinegar Last?

Does vinegar go bad? is a common question. Due to its high acidity, vinegar is actually used to preserve other foods that would otherwise have a short shelf life — think pickles. Stored properly in a closed container, vinegar lasts indefinitely.

This is true of apple cider vinegar, distilled white vinegar, wine vinegar, and rice vinegar.

Does balsamic vinegar expire? Balsamic vinegar is a higher end product, aged for years. It’s substantially more expensive than other vinegar, so you won’t want to waste it. Balsamic vinegar also comes in smaller containers than other vinegars, so it’s not difficult to use it up in a reasonable amount of time. Even so, while it’s at its peak when it’s fresh, it, too, will keep indefinitely.

If it doesn’t go bad, why are there expiration dates on it?

The only food that is actually mandated by the FDA to have an expiration date is baby formula. Most states have their own requirements, but these vary greatly state-by-state. This article covers this issue in more detail

jar of sliced cucumbers with the lid off, with a vinegar brine.

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About the author: Kris Bordessa is an award-winning National Geographic author and a certified Master Food Preserver. Read more about Kris and how she got started with this site here. If you want to send Kris a quick message, you can get in touch here.

96 comments… add one
  • James Dec 11, 2017 @ 0:07

    that’s stealing!

  • Donna Aug 20, 2017 @ 16:52

    I bought my first gallon of Apple Cidar Vinegar to make pickles . I will check the label now…I expect it to be what it is named ! Thank you for the information.

  • JOYCE MULLINS Dec 31, 2016 @ 13:20

    THANKS FOR THE INFO!…NEVER NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE BEFORE!

  • Macy Oct 3, 2016 @ 11:53

    Easily fixed…make your own apple cider vinegar!

    Either let your apple juice (hopefully Organic) mind it’s own business in a dark place for a month, or slice up some apples and let them sit in some non-chlorinated H2O for the same amount of time.

    Decant the fluid into a jug: presto! Apple Cider Vinegar! Save the gluck that was floating at the top…this is the “mother”, a clump of yeast that you can use to make your next batch!

  • Clare Oct 1, 2016 @ 13:59

    Yes, good article. Personally I only go for Organic ACV with the all important ‘mother’ in it for all the goodness.

  • Joellen Sep 28, 2016 @ 19:27

    And this year at a favorite produce market, they were selling another brand that was only 4% acidity instead of 5%. There are sure to be some angry picklers over that! It always pays to read the label!

  • Jess Sep 23, 2016 @ 16:05

    Ok, so I literally just read my small glass jar of Heinz white vinegar and realized it is most likely made from GMO corn. Ugh! What non gmo vinegar options are there?

    • Kris Bordessa Sep 23, 2016 @ 16:28

      Bragg’s apple cider vinegar. Colavita brand has lost of actual wine vinegar options. There’s one that comes in a round bottle with a straight neck (can’t recall the brand). And lots of gourmet vinegars.

  • jodie Jul 6, 2015 @ 13:22

    I’m glad I live in Australia.

  • Kenneth Thompson Jul 5, 2015 @ 17:22

    The best thing to do is brew your own hard apple cider and make your own apple cider vinegar.

  • dmbnj Jan 27, 2015 @ 18:18

    I don’t think my floor or laundry really care where the white vinegar came from. For human or animal consumption we use Bragg’s.

    • Kris Bordessa Jan 28, 2015 @ 6:24

      Yes, I think that’s true. It’s a double-edged sword, though. Buying the GMO vinegar for household jobs supports the whole GMO business. And yet, who’s gonna pay for Bragg’s to clean the floor? I experimented awhile back with making my own vinegar from citrus scraps — https://www.attainable-sustainable.net/tangerine-vinegar/.

      • John Mar 11, 2015 @ 14:21

        Kris:
        Very interesting, thank you for the tangerine vinegar link. And while I am dubious about washing clothes with GM products, I don’t suppose the risk from mopping floors is very high, and as far as supporting the industry, my local supermarket sells a gallon of cheap white unbranded and presumably GM white vinegar for two bucks, so at least they are not making much from my limited support. But I will try making my own, to reduce “not much” risk/support to zero of either. Thanks again.

  • Laura Jan 27, 2015 @ 3:35

    Heinz also sells a raw, unfilitered apple cider vinegar with the mother.

  • Melissa Jul 18, 2014 @ 18:05

    How do you know the corn used in Heinz White Vinegar is genetically modified??

    • P Buckley Aug 15, 2023 @ 13:03

      All corn is GMO unless labeled Certified Organic. Same with soy.

  • Liv Jun 22, 2014 @ 10:20

    Hmm. I just checked the label on my Heinz apple cider vinegar, and it says it’s made with the juice of apples, and water…

    • Kris Bordessa Jun 22, 2014 @ 15:19

      They DO make apple cider vinegar – as I stated above. But they also make apple cider *flavored vinegar. You have to read the label to be sure that you’re getting the one you want.

  • Laura Jun 22, 2014 @ 0:29

    Heinz also makes an all-natural, unfiltered, raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar with the “mother” that’s made of apples and water.  Read your labels!

    • Carol Jan 4, 2016 @ 10:53

      Where? What is it called. I have NEVER seen such a product in ANY store I frequent. Also, WHY support a company that makes something similar when MOST of their products are clearly GMO. They don’t care about organic, they just want some business from REAL organic loving, healthy, and TRUE organic people and farmers. DON’T support them!! Support local, ORGANIC ALL THE TIME farms and companies that truly CARE.

      • Jennifer Cameron Oct 4, 2017 @ 18:52

        It is labeled Heinz Vinegar Apple Cider Unfiltered All Natural. 32 oz. is 5.78 at Walmart. It contains the mother. I usually buy Braggs, but have this on my comparison chart.

  • Larry R Feb 24, 2014 @ 15:29

    Just found this post after another friend pointed out the fake cider vinegar.. They maker a fake apple cider vinegar for a reason… It isn’t a conspiracy to defraud the consumers.,…. My wife’s Boss (among many other people) happens to be allergic to Apples and apple products… She has to use the “Fake” stuff for HER cooking.

    • Joellen Sep 28, 2016 @ 19:28

      It IS a profit thing. Your friend just happens to benefit due to an allergy.

  • Dave Sep 26, 2013 @ 7:27

    I buy European vinegar now at 3 times the price unfortunately, but its still true to tradition.

    • John Mar 11, 2015 @ 14:14

      Dave:
      I am intrigued, as I do know generally European food is of much higher quality. Can you expound on this a little? Are there specific advantages over, say, Bragg’s unpasteurized organic vinegar?

  • Lorrie O Sep 26, 2013 @ 5:59

    My answer is simple…..I will never buy Heinz brands again! I encourage you all to do the same…Its Not worth it to be duped into eating poison!
    GMOs are poison as proven by multitudes of tests that have been hidden from the American public. 62 countries already require GMOs to be labeled. Do they take us for fools or what?

  • ren Sep 25, 2013 @ 12:17

    I have started making my own from the left over scraps of apples from pies and juicing. Mix with water, sugar and a bit of braggs with the mother to give it a boost. Takes some time, but, eventually I will be ACV rich!

  • Amy Sep 25, 2013 @ 12:13

    Several comments I have concerning the article: Yes, you must read every label at the grocery store. I vote with my wallet, and knowing the health concerns associated with GMO’s, I don’t want to support any company that is deceptive in their labeling. Just come right out and tell me exactly what is in my food! Most people have no idea what is in their food, cleaning products and personal products. When you buy a product with GMO’s in it, you are telling the company that you accept it. People keep saying “well you are going to die from something”. Well, old age is what I want to die from! Not a preventable illness brought on by poor or poisoned food and products that absorb into my body. Guess I was born in the wrong era. I would have made a good pioneer:)

    • Amy D. Sep 25, 2013 @ 17:33

      You and me both!

    • Teri Jun 21, 2014 @ 23:57

      Pioneers died at a much earlier age than we do. 

      • John Mar 11, 2015 @ 14:11

        The problem with generalities is they are too general to mean much. My ancestors were pioneers who lived into their 90’s, and were conscious of how they conducted their lives before it became fashionable.
        There were “health nuts” at the turn of the 20th century that would have seen GM food coming, and run as fast as they could in the opposite direction. I cannot recall exactly the source, I think it was the founder of the Mother Earth News who said his own father demonstrated the evils of white bread by rolling it into a ball, bouncing it off the hardwood floor, and stating firmly “This is NOT food for human beings”. And that was a long time before it became widely accepted fact as it is today.

      • Dana Cloutier Jun 9, 2023 @ 21:17

        Actually for the first time in many years US life expectancy is growing shorter instead of getting longer!

  • Julie Sep 25, 2013 @ 11:38

    Sigh….. I have been using Heintz white vinegar when I dye. I didn’t even think about it being GMO! I guess I’ll have to switch over to organic vinegar for my art.
    Everything else in my house is either GMO free or organic.
    Thanks for the ‘heads up’!!

  • Steve Stewart Sep 25, 2013 @ 11:36

    E gads…I just got done pickling 40 quarts of garlic dills…saw the *flavored” word on the generic brand so I grabbed the Heinz thinking I would be getting the real thing….should of read the label..won’t happen again!!!

  • badmsm Sep 25, 2013 @ 10:33

    I bought a bottle of store brand apple cider vinegar. Ingredients listed as follows: distilled vinegar, water, natural flavoring, caramel color. Diluted with water to 5% acidity (50 grain) . No clue what the grain reference is at the end. :/

    • Kris Bordessa Sep 25, 2013 @ 11:35

      The question is: WHAT is the distilled vinegar made from? Apple cider? Or grain?

    • Mary Ann Jan 25, 2017 @ 11:45

      The reference to grain at the end that you were wondering about is a reference to the strength of the acidity. It has nothing to do with a type of grain like wheat or whatnot.
      “Grain strength refers to the acetic acid content. It is 10 times the acid content. For example:
      5% acidity = 50 grain
      10% acidity = 100 grain
      20% acidity = 200 grain
      Lower grain strength is most commonly used in homes for cooking, canning/preserving and cleaning, whereas higher grain strengths are used as an ingredient on an industrial level for food and other manufacturers.”
      (From https://vinegartips.com/faqs/)

  • bayoulady Sep 25, 2013 @ 9:30

    I just checked my Market Pantry brand (Target)of Apple Cider Vinegar. Ingredients: Apple cider vinegar, diluted with water.

    • Carol Jan 4, 2016 @ 10:48

      Are the apples organic? NO? Then they are made with Genetically engineered apples. As are all apples NOT marked with the organic label..

      • Kris Bordessa Jan 4, 2016 @ 15:33

        The “arctic” apple is the only gmo apple approved for sale in the US, and that happened early in 2015. Apples not marked “organic” are conventionally grown. It’s true that now we will have the arctic to watch out for, but to say that ALL apples not marked organic are gmo is inaccurate. (I’m as big a critic of transgenic modification as the next guy, but we need to be accurate if we want people to take us seriously.)

  • Sue Clarke Sep 25, 2013 @ 8:45

    Egads! I just made dill pickles with “white vinegar”. I didn’t even think about reading the label.

    I think the thing about using GMO vinegar for cleaning is simply that even if we are not putting it into bodies, we are still supporting the GMO cycle by buying it.

  • Lisa Sep 25, 2013 @ 8:43

    Tell me braggs is still safe?

    • Pennie Sep 25, 2013 @ 14:08

      Braggs is totally safe and organic and the only vinegar I will buy!

  • Diane Feb 6, 2013 @ 2:00

    Just how much vinegar are people consuming if they are so concerned about GMO corn? And if you only clean with it, who cares at all? My bottle last for a year or more.

    • kim Sep 25, 2013 @ 9:17

      Diane, I believe the reason to care is not about the effectiveness of vinegar for cleaning or how long it lasts, but by purchasing it you are supporting the GMO industry.

  • Missa Feb 5, 2013 @ 12:39

    Ok I buy the hienz white vinegar just for cleaning and laundry puposes…I get my apple cider vinegar from the farmer`s market so no worries therE. I hate GMO`S but does it really matter for cleaning?

    • Dawn Sep 25, 2013 @ 8:09

      Yes, because you’ve voted for GMOs and GMO high-chemical farming with your dollars.

    • CassC Sep 25, 2013 @ 8:14

      Health wise it’s not as big of an issue, but over all it is. If we keep continuing to buy products made with GMO’s then they will keep growing them and they will keep showing up where they aren’t supposed to be. Either way, I absolutely hate that we have become a society that has to read labels and research our food so much. It’s supposed to come from nature, not a lab!

    • John Sep 26, 2013 @ 4:39

      Yes, it really does matter for cleaning. When you buy products with GMOs in them, you are financially supporting the world’s most evil corporation. If thousands (or millions) of others are doing the same thing, it doesn’t bode well for life on this planet.

      • John Mar 11, 2015 @ 14:02

        You guys seem quite generally informed, but as to cleaning, there is more at stake than supporting an evil industry. Surely you know your skin is your body’s largest organ. And that it is very absorbent. So I hope you can see that exposing your skin to things “cleaned” with GM products is not a good plan, even without considering the corporate farming it supports.

  • Brette Feb 5, 2013 @ 11:41

    I just bought a bottle of store brand white vinegar today. I’m going to go check and see what it says.

  • merr Feb 19, 2012 @ 5:59

    And yet something else we didn’t know that we need to! Thanks, Kris.

  • JCreatureTravel Feb 18, 2012 @ 7:40

    It’s sure not easy to shop anymore. By the time you read the labels for fat and calories, check out the irradiation symbols and sift through the ingredient list, you’ve spent another hour in the supermarket

  • Attainable Sustainable Feb 10, 2012 @ 20:24

    Sadly, no.

  • MyKidsEatSquid Feb 10, 2012 @ 17:05

    Just checked my Trader Joe’s apple cider vinegar and it just has the good stuff in it. Do you have a Trader Joe’s nearby?

    • lorrie O Sep 26, 2013 @ 6:07

      Unfortunately Trader Joes brand cider vinegar is pasteurized, .killing all the good stuff you want in there, which makes it benificial – Braggs cider vinegar is alive and very healthy, and it cured my Gout!

  • Allison Treble Feb 10, 2012 @ 13:26

    First off, I have to say that corn is a grain so I’m not sure what you take exception with about corn.

    Secondly, to address THIS comment:

    “Well, the really stupid thing about Hienz is the advertising of the grain being “sun ripened” LOL. Isn’t ALL grain sun ripened? It’s not like a tomato that can be picked green and gassed to make it red! How dumb to they really think we are? ”

    As a farmer’s wife, I can tell you that MANY farmers use a chemical dessicant to ripen their crops. Chemical dessicant basically kills the plant and forces it to mature instead of waiting for nature to ripen it. There are many reasons why dessicants are used, mostly to make harvest happen in a timely manner so that crops are not ruined by frost. So no, not all grain is sun ripened, especially commercially grown crops.

    • Attainable Sustainable Feb 10, 2012 @ 20:23

      @Allison TrebleThanks for weighing in and telling us about the dessicant – is that used on corn, too? I had no idea. Personally, I love corn. 😉 What I DISlike is genetic modification of crops, and an awful lot of corn is GMO.

      • Allison Treble Feb 12, 2012 @ 7:00

        @Attainable Sustainable

        Yes, a dessicant called Reglone is very commonly used on crops such as canola, corn, and field peas along with others I’m sure.

      • Carmel Garcia Sep 25, 2013 @ 11:02

        Our stomachs cannot digest corn, neither can the animals. Cows are fed through ports of entry into their stomachs, gaping infectious holes. Workers literally stuff cows with corn and grain because cows won’t eat it, don’t like the stuff and the farmer is just pushing the cow towards maturity to slaughter quickly. Look into it.

        • Kris Bordessa Sep 25, 2013 @ 11:30

          I think you might be referring to a scene from Food, Inc. when scientists create a port in a cow’s stomach to study it. Farmers are not in the practice of port-feeding their cattle. (Though absolutely, they shouldn’t be feeding them corn.)

          • Bobbie Jul 7, 2015 @ 7:06

            Cows love corn, but it’s not what they should be eating, just like you shouldn’t have candy for every meal.

        • Carol Jan 4, 2016 @ 10:44

          Not true! I raised cows, and they loved the grain I fed them containing corn. Until I discovered that it is not NATURAL for cows to consume corn. Their stomachs ( 4) don’t produce the proper enzymes to digest grains; ANY grains. But they WILL eat it, and very happily, too, I might add!

        • Debra Griebel Dec 13, 2016 @ 1:19

          That is misinformation. You need to drive out to a feed lot. Do you really think farmers have time to stuff corn into a 6″ hole in the side of thousands n thousands of cattle? I live in Nebraska where there are a lot of feedlots. That doesn’t happen. Those holes are made for cattle on display so people like you can see how their stomachs work. …. you need to study up on things you comment on b4 you comment! !!

    • farmer_liz Feb 14, 2012 @ 18:56

      @Allison Treble I don’t like the idea of grain in general being use to make apple cider vinegar, it clearly should be made from APPLES! If I wanted vinegar from grain I would buy white vinegar. However, I did read somewhere that some white vinegar is actually made by diluting acetic acid produced by GM bacteria (rather than the tedious process of naturally fermenting the vinegar and then distilling it). Makes me think I should just make my own vinegar so I know where it comes from.

      • Allison Treble Feb 14, 2012 @ 19:24

        @farmer_liz I agree that Apple Cider Vinegar should be made from apples but the article above was talking about White Vinegar being made from corn. Unfortunately, it’s true that you need to make things yourself to know what is in them.

    • Suzanne Sep 25, 2013 @ 15:05

      Chemical dessicant — herbicide — good reason to buy organic whenever possible.
      https://www.agcanada.com/grainews/2012/06/05/dont-use-desiccants-to-hasten-maturity/

  • Frances Feb 10, 2012 @ 9:46

    Oh so glad I live down under where having checked my labels ours is ok, agree about always reading labels though as it is interesting what can end up in our foods!

  • Carolyn Thomas Feb 9, 2012 @ 14:50

    Well, the really stupid thing about Hienz is the advertising of the grain being “sun ripened” LOL. Isn’t ALL grain sun ripened? It’s not like a tomato that can be picked green and gassed to make it red! How dumb to they really think we are? Since I use white vinegar mostly for cleaning, I’m not too worried about it being made from GMO corn, although I would like that type of product to go away in general. I don’t think my laundry really cares if the vinegar is GMO or non GMO.

    • Eddna Sep 2, 2013 @ 12:51

      I have been trying to tell myself the same. But does it leave a residue that would enter our systems through the skin. Makes me crazy!

    • Patti Sep 26, 2013 @ 3:00

      Though I don’t think GMO matters for cleaning per say, I don’t want to encourage any GMO products so once again, we will have to pay more to get less. Less, chemicals, less bio-engineering, less screwing with mother nature. and as a side note, white vinegar and white wine vinegar are two entirely different things, so we’ve always had to read the label to correctly identify what we were buying, but the apple cider thing kinda ticks me off. Heinz just lost a customer for all it’s products.

    • Linda Sep 27, 2016 @ 7:24

      Actually, grains are not sun-ripened anymore. Wheat products are sprayed with glyphosate (round-up!!) to force them to all ripen at the same time. Makes it easier to harvest. Doesn’t that make your mouth water….

      • Kris Bordessa Oct 5, 2016 @ 11:03

        Yes. And that’s a whole ‘nother story to write…

      • Barbara Andersen Dec 11, 2016 @ 5:03

        I have never seen evidence that roundup causes ripening time. How could that work using a herbicide to effect ripening? I grew up on a farm and have a minor in chemistry. As a Master Naturalist I study native plants.

      • Alice Faye Serna Jul 28, 2022 @ 21:56

        Another rabbit hole to jump in to is about the use of round up. With the law suit I’d hazard to say it’s a logical to guess that it’s dangerous. My BIL has Parkinson’s as does a couple of his siblings they grew up farming but they all are in different stages. I did not realize round up was used as a ripening agent. But now I’ll be reading a lot more labels.

        • AttainableSustainable Jul 29, 2022 @ 12:53

          Definitely, something to consider.

    • Tina Dec 11, 2016 @ 12:34

      You should care, if you have any issues with GMO’s at all since your largest organ is your skin. So unless you’re rinsing repeatedly, you risk issues.

      I make my own laundry soap, don’t use vinegar or bleaches in the laundry yet my husband loves this soap. Better than Tide, Surf, Arm & Hammer or any big brands. And he gets a lot of oils, dirt, grub and nasties on his clothing.

      So just be careful.

      • Judy Tripp Aug 20, 2017 @ 17:35

        Would you share your laundry soap recipe

      • Karen simmons Oct 7, 2017 @ 16:50

        Would you post the recipe for soap you make please? Thank you.

      • Celeste Jan 28, 2023 @ 8:20

        Tina,

        Would you post your soap laundry soap recipe? I have 2 kids that work near a fryer and would like to naturally expunge the grease that seeps into everything. Thanks for sharing!

    • Monika Apr 24, 2020 @ 14:41

      Actually they can spray crops with roundup and it forces the plant to ripen and seed quickly while it’s dying. So it’s not sun ripened.

  • Laura Feb 9, 2012 @ 13:04

    Grrrr.

  • Jane Boursaw Feb 9, 2012 @ 7:56

    Cripes. We like Dr. Bragg’s apple cider vinegar, which I’m hoping is ok, but I’ll go read the ingredients.

    • Attainable Sustainable Feb 10, 2012 @ 20:23

      @Jane Boursaw We like and use Bragg’s, too, Jane. Not cheap for cleaning, though!

      • Carol Jan 4, 2016 @ 10:41

        I, too, use Braggs. But they do say it has “The Mother”, but I noted that it only has sediment at the bottom, usual for non pasteurized, but no visible scoby, or stringy bits that form the “Mother”. So….are we getting the actual “Mother”??? I do wonder. I contacted them and asked this question months ago when I noted it, but have yet to get an answer. Maybe that IS my answer???

  • Attainable Sustainable Feb 9, 2012 @ 7:52

    I don’t think I’m getting the two mixed up at all. I understand that they’re two different products, but these products have changed over the years. Used to be I could pick up a bottle of Heinz that was a clear liquid and it would be white WINE vinegar. No more. Heinz no longer offers white wine vinegar according to their website; it’s all distilled white vinegar. The do have RED wine vinegar: https://www.heinzvinegar.com/products-red-wine-vinegar.aspx.

    The apple cider vinegar change hasn’t made it to their website yet, but based on the image above, clearly they’re making changes to their recipe.

    In either case, if you’ve been buying the same brand for years, thinking that you know what you’re getting, you need to pay attention to the label. Things, they are a-changin.

    • Carmel Garcia Sep 25, 2013 @ 10:57

      Again, 2 separate products that you are discussing, white”wine” vinegar and reg. white vinegar. Regardless, if they discontinued the white wine, as mentioned earlier, 2 very different products with many different uses.

  • djfenderson Feb 9, 2012 @ 6:17

    White wine vinegar and white (clear) vinegar are two very different things. Heinz doesn’t make a white wine vinegar anymore. And as for their white vinegar, all white non-wine vinegars are made from distilled corn alcohol. I agree that the apple cider-flavored is a bit odd, but as for the white, this is how all white (again, non-white wine) vinegars are made. You are getting the two mixed up. Whether they are GMO or not is a different piece of the puzzle.

  • Casey Feb 9, 2012 @ 3:13

    Oh, for pete’s sake. I just checked my Whole Foods 365 brand apple cider vinegar, and it clearly states that it’s certified organic and that the company’s private label products follow the US law that forbids any GMOs in organic foods. So go organic with your vinegar, guys!

  • Heather Feb 8, 2012 @ 8:29

    I discovered the apple cider “flavored” vinegar a couple of years ago when preparing to make pickles. I found only one brand in the grocery stores that was really apple cider vinegar. Of course, it can be found in health food stores and coops. I had not thought through the white vinegar issue though. We use white vinegar primarily for cleaning, yet it is still perpetuating the GMO issue. Thanks for the info.

  • SoniaR Feb 8, 2012 @ 8:22

    I better start reading all labels from now on… I read for other products but had never thought to check on the apple cider vinegar. Thanks for this alert, Kris!

    • Attainable Sustainable Feb 8, 2012 @ 8:26

      @SoniaR I KNOW! I discovered that the white vinegar is no longer white *wine vinegar some time back, but just spotted this apple cider bait-and-switch a couple of days ago. It’s crazy!

      • SoniaR Feb 8, 2012 @ 9:02

        @Attainable Sustainable bummer!

      • Robert Frisby Sep 9, 2018 @ 12:26

        Hi, my family including my self has just used the plain white distilled vinegar for making pickles forever, even my great grandmother. I have never seen anybody use apple cider vinegar for pickles or ever tasted any made that way. Wouldn’t it completely change the flavor so the pickles would not taste like traditional pickles and in my opinion probably not taste good. I use organic apple cider vinegar in some things but I can’t imagine it being used for pickling. Where can I find a good recipe to try?

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