On Sun, 25 Sep 2005 20:55:53 GMT, "kilikini"
> wrote:

>Bought a new bottle of rice vinegar about a month and a half ago. I've used
>maybe, I'd say, 4 tablespoons for sushi and also for a cucumber salad.
>Opened the cupboard today and it has this transparent filmy substance on the
>bottom of the bottle.
>
>Isn't vinegar sterile? What is this muck? I'm obviously throwing the
>bottle away, but I've never seen anything like this in a bottle of vinegar
>before. It kind of looks like a thin jelly-fish.
>
>kili
>

Howdy,

Epicurious' food dictionary defines Mother of Vinegar as: A
slimy, gummy substance made up of various bacteria —
specifically mycoderma aceti — that cause fermentation in
wine and cider and turn them into vinegar. Known as mère de
vinaigre in French and sometimes simply as "mother" in
English, its growth is best fostered in a medium-warm
environment (60°-85°F). The mother should be transferred to
a new mixture or discarded once the liquid has turned to
vinegar.

So, I would suggest that you decant the vinegar, clean the
container, and put the vinegar back where it started.

All the best,
--
Kenneth

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