Authentication of Vinegars with Targeted and Non-targeted Methods

There has been a growing interest in vinegar, especially after the increasing reports about its beneficial health effects. Bioactive compounds of vinegar are associated with its antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor, and anti-obesity types of activities. Quality of vinegar is related with the authenticity of the product besides the amounts of bioactive compounds in its composition. Addition of cheaper substitutes to higher quality vinegars and false labeling are some common authentication problems for this product. There are various examples of the use of targeted and untargeted methods in authentication studies for vinegars. Specific constituents and properties of vinegars such as molecular isotope ratios and individual volatile compounds were used to detect adulteration with targeted methods. On the other hand, untargeted methods, mostly in the form of the application of spectroscopic techniques, such as infrared and fluorescence spectroscopy in combination with chemometrics, provide an overall measurement. This review mainly focuses on adulteration types and elaborates on different targeted and non-targeted methods used to authenticate vinegars.