Volatile Constituents of Vinegar. I. A Survey of Some Commercially Available Malt Vinegars

Gas liquid chromatography was used to fractionate the alcohols, esters, carbonyls and acids in commercial malt vinegars. A qualitative and quantitative study was made using two different stationary phases; methyl formate, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, ethyl alcohol, isobutyl acetate, n-propyl alcohol, n-butyl acetate, isobutyl alcohol, amyl alcohol, acetoin, propionic acid and acetic acid were identified and estimated in eleven different malt vinegars. The results of this survey were compared with the information previously found for malt and other types of vinegars. A preliminary assessment has been made of the origins of these volatiles.