The process transforms sweet apple juice into a tangy, acidic liquid valued for its culinary and health applications. This transformation relies on a two-stage fermentation. First, yeast converts the sugars in the juice into alcohol, creating hard cider. Subsequently, bacteria of the Acetobacter genus convert the alcohol into acetic acid, the primary component of the final product.
This resulting liquid has been utilized for centuries as a food preservative, a cleaning agent, and a folk remedy. Its purported benefits range from blood sugar control and weight management to improved digestion and skin health. However, scientific evidence supporting all these claims varies, with some areas requiring further robust research to confirm the anecdotal observations.