I consider myself quite health food savvy yet I just read that white vinegar, especially outside of the states comes from PETROLEUM! I know I can get ACV here at Villa..

but I do have some things that come in vinegar and of course some of the Thai chilis with Pad Thai are in vinegar.

How can one tell if their white vinegar is Petroleum based or grain?

Scarry!!!!!! what about heinz white vinegar?

Play it safe, use German White Wine:bah:

I'm glad that I stick to wine/apple cider vinegar.

I really don't think so......you need sugar/grain to make vinegar/wine and does petroeum have sugar??

Having said that, the cheap local industrial vinegar does have a harsh taste and I only use it for cleaning.

I looked up white vinegar in Wikopedia and it says "Vinegar is made from the oxidation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. The ethanol may be derived from many different sources including wine, cider, beer or fermented fruit juice, or it may be made synthetically from natural gas and petroleum derivatives.^["

^{Not that Wikopedia is infallible but i never knew that there was a synthetic white vinegar . Maybe it is what is sold as Cleaning Vinegar .}

If product is labelled "distilled white vinegar", it must come from the acetobacter bacteria - which is the natural way.

Where appropriate for any cuisine, I'd suggest using rice vinegar, wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, etc. as a first choice.

Though for some recipes, distilled white vinegar is preferred for its less broad flavor.

Then there is the "artificial vinegar" that is sold for about 2 baht cheaper per liter.

I really don't see any significant monetary advantage to use artificial vinegar - except maybe for cleaning.

But I am sure some thai food stands may use it - always watchful of their baht.

The petroleum-based vinegar is fairly common in the west. In England, by law, it must be called "non-brewed condiment". You often see it on the counter at fish and chip shops. It's cheaper than genuine malt vinegar so is often used commercially to save costs.

I thought malt vinegar was the whole point. You makin' me hungry.

If the OP (or anyone else that has more than just a passing interest in the subject) were to type the words "petroleum based food" into Google, then they might get a not too pleasant suprise.

Penkoprod

If product is labelled "distilled white vinegar", it must come from the acetobacter bacteria - which is the natural way.

Where appropriate for any cuisine, I'd suggest using rice vinegar, wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, etc. as a first choice.

Though for some recipes, distilled white vinegar is preferred for its less broad flavor.

Then there is the "artificial vinegar" that is sold for about 2 baht cheaper per liter.

I really don't see any significant monetary advantage to use artificial vinegar - except maybe for cleaning.

But I am sure some thai food stands may use it - always watchful of their baht.

What is the artificial vinegar labeled as? Just Vinegar? Thank you for the info.