Scientists link acetic acid with food poisoning

Acetic acid - or vinegar, in its diluted form as a table condiment - can increase the risk of food poisoning, scientists have discovered.

The laboratory news from Lund University may seem surprising to many people, as vinegar has applications in pickling and preserving.

However, the scientists involved were not studying the use of large quantities of acetic acid; rather, they focused on modest amounts used as a preservative.

Nina Wallin Carlquist, a doctor of philosophy in engineering at the Lund University division of applied microbiology, recently defended her thesis on the topic.

She explains: "In my studies I saw that a small amount of acetic acid caused the bacteria to become stressed, which meant they reacted by producing more toxin."

However, she adds that if the acidity level is increased by adding a greater amount of the acid, the bacteria are killed.

Within the European Union, the presence of acetic acid as a preservative ingredient in food is labelled using the E-number E260 on product labels.