Ask A Scientist© Molecular Biology Archive

name         Adnan
status       student
age          16

Question -   Does Red Wine Vinegar contain alcohol after it is done
transforming, and also if it is able to intoxicate a person.

Vinegars do still contain some level of alcohol.  The "vinegar" taste is
actually due to acetic acid, but the chemical transformation is never fully
complete just sitting around a kitchen.  Vinegar would be much too gross to
drink in the quantity it would take to intoxicate anyone.  If you're trying
to eliminate the alcohol content in your food, cook it (this is true for
wine too).  Alcohol is very volatile -- that is, it boils off at pretty low
temperatures.  Just remember that alcohol also has a very low flash point
-- the temperature at which it can be set on fire.  So be careful if you're
using a lot!
---------
Christine Ticknor
Ph.D. Student
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut
=========================================================