Microflora, Bioactive Components and Health Effects of Various Kinds of Vinegars

Vinegar is a special kind of condiment used as a flavoring and preservative agent in various foods since ancient times. Many types of vinegars are produced worldwide, especially in the Far East and European countries, using different raw materials and production techniques. Vinegar microflora mainly composed of acetic acid bacteria and yeasts, but some molds and lactic acid bacteria species can serve an important role in the production of various special vinegars. Vinegar shows many positive health effects, particularly antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor, anticarcinogenic, antidiabetic and antiinfection effects, because of the substances found in vinegar such as organic acids, phenolic compounds, vitamins, minerals and melanoidins. In this review, recent studies on microflora, bioactive content and health effects of different kinds of vinegars are presented