… begins with the organic ability of sugar production. Plants produce, use and store sugars within their sap or juice or, converted into starch, to be deposited through their seeds, stems, leaves, tubers and flowers (let’s not forget the bees!)
Some form of sugar (Fructose, sucrose, lactose, glucose) properly diluted in water is the preferred food to very many organisms, yeast not being the exception. What’s exceptional about yeast though is that it leaves behind alcohol excreted during the sugar feast aka fermentation.
The story continues. Alcohol attracts fruit flies who “happen” to carry vinegar bacteria whose favorite food is, you guessed it, alcohol.
As a result of the alcohol binge vinegar bacteria sports (also loosely called fermentation), the world can know acetic acid and vinegar.
The benefits of vinegar can’t be over rated. Culinary and medicinal uses are perhaps more known to societies of industrial sanitary standards, however, well deep into the past, vinegar was often the only product for personal and household sanitation practices.