Acetic Acid Production

Acetic acid production involves creating acetic acid, a key ingredient in vinegar and many industrial applications. The most common method is through fermentation, where sugars from plants, like corn or sugarcane, are converted into alcohol by yeast. Then, bacteria called Acetobacter convert the alcohol into acetic acid in the presence of oxygen. Alternatively, acetic acid can be produced synthetically from natural gas or petroleum through chemical processes. The resulting acetic acid is important in food preservation, flavoring, and as a chemical building block in various products, including plastics and textiles.