PubChem CID · CC0
/ COMPOUND
acetic acid
PubChem CID 176Formula C2H4O2MW 60.0560 food sources
Cooking relevance
Acetic acid (CH₃COOH, PubChem CID 176) is the primary organic acid in vinegars, responsible for their characteristic pungent sourness and preservative properties. It ranges from ~4% in distilled vinegar to ~6% in red wine and cider vinegars, and contributes to balsamic vinegar's complex tang. In cooking, acetic acid brightens dishes, balances sweetness, and aids in pickling and emulsification.
- aroma
- sharp · pungent · sour · slightly fruity undertones in aged vinegars
- culinary role
- primary acid in all vinegars; souring agent; preservative in pickling; flavor balancer
- mass spectra
- 6 verified
Research associations
Literature-derived · peer-reviewed sources only · not medical advice
Abdominal Pain()
Acute Pain()
Colitis()
Colitis, Ulcerative()
Diarrhea()
Disease Models, Animal()
Edema()
Eye Injuries()
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage()
Hemorrhage()
Foods containing this compound
Source
Compound data linked to PubChem CID 176, public domain via NCBI. Culinary context + ingredient mappings are maintained by Foodgeist's enrichment fleet and continuously re-matched by the pairings engine. PubChem CID 176
