vinegar

Vinegar is an alcoholic liquid that has been allowed to sour. It is primarily used to flavor and preserve foods and as an ingredient in salad dressings and marinades. Vinegar is also used as a cleaning agent. The word is from the French vin (wine) and aigre (sour). By the end of the twentieth century, grocery stores in the United States were posting $200 million in vinegar sales. White distilled vinegar garners the largest percentage of the market, followed in order by cider, red wine, balsamic, and rice. Balsamic vinegar is the fastest growing type. In addition to its continued popularity as a condiment, vinegar is also widely used as a cleaning agent. Hengshun, listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and currently the largest vinegar producer in China. At present, Hengshun has capacity for 100,000 metric tonnes of vinegar every year, counting for 4 per cent of the domestic market. It is estimated that by the completion of first section, its market share will be doubled, while by 2012, it is going to control 20 per cent of market.