where does vinegar come from

Vinegar comes from a two-step fermentation process starting with a sugar- containing source, such as fruit juice, grain mash, or wine. First, yeast ferments the sugars to produce ethanol (alcohol) under anaerobic conditions. Then, acetic acid bacteria (mainly Acetobacter species) convert the ethanol into acetic acid in the presence of oxygen, producing vinegar. This process has been used for thousands of years and can be made from various raw materials like apples, grapes, malted barley, rice, or cider. Traditional and commercial vinegar production can use slow fermentation in barrels or faster modern efficiency methods in aerated tanks.