province, eastern china. shanxi mature vinegar is another popular type of chinese vinegar that is made exclusively from sorghum and other grains. nowadays in shanxi province, some traditional vinegar workshops still produce handmade vinegar with a high acidity that is aged for at least five years. only the vinegars made in taiyuan and some counties in jinzhong and aged for at least three years are considered authentic shanxi mature vinegar according to the latest national standard. a somewhat lighter form of black vinegar, made from rice, is produced in japan, where it is called kurozu. rice vinegar is most popular in the cuisines of east and southeast asia. it is available in "white" (light yellow), red, and black varieties. the japanese prefer a light rice vinegar for the preparation of sushi rice and salad dressings. red rice vinegar traditionally is colored with red yeast rice. black rice vinegar (made with black glutinous rice) is most popular in china, and it is also widely used in other east asian countries. white rice vinegar has a mild acidity with a somewhat "flat" and uncomplex flavor. some varieties of rice vinegar are sweetened or otherwise seasoned with spices or other added flavorings. spirits sherry vinegar the term "spirit vinegar" is sometimes reserved for the stronger variety (5 to 24% acetic acid) made from sugar cane or from chemically produced acetic acid. to be called "spirit vinegar", the product must come from an agricultural source and must be made by "double fermentation". the first fermentation is sugar to alcohol and the second is alcohol to acetic acid. product made from synthetically produced acetic acid cannot be called "vinegar" in the uk, where the term allowed is "non-brewed condiment". sherry vinegar is linked to the production of sherry wines of jerez. dark mahogany in color, it is made exclusively from the acetic fermentation of wines. it is concentrated and has generous aromas, including a note of wood, ideal for vinaigrettes and flavoring various foods. wine vinegar is made from red or white wine, and is the most commonly used vinegar in southern and central europe, cyprus, and israel. as with wine, the range in quality is considerable. better-quality wine vinegars are matured in wood for up to two years, and exhibit a complex, mellow flavor. wine vinegar tends to have a lower acidity than white or cider vinegars. more expensive wine vinegars are made from individual varieties of wine, such as champagne, sherry, or pinot gris. the term "distilled vinegar" as used in the united states (called "spirit vinegar" in the uk, "white vinegar" in canada) is something of a misnomer because it is not produced by distillation, but by fermentation of distilled alcohol. the fermentate is diluted to produce a colorless solution of 5 to 8% acetic acid in water, with a ph of about 2.6. this is variously known as distilled spirit, "virgin" vinegar, or white vinegar, and is used in cooking, baking, meat preservation, and pickling, as well as for medicinal, laboratory, and cleaning purposes. the most common starting material in some regions, because of its low cost, is barley malt, or in the united states, corn. it is sometimes derived from petroleum. distilled vinegar is used predominantly for cooking, although in the uk it is used as an alternative to brown or light malt vinegar. white distilled vinegar can also be used for cleaning, and some types are sold specifically for this purpose. culinary uses vinegar is commonly used in food preparation, in particular as pickling liquids, vinaigrettes, and other salad dressings. it is an ingredient in sauces, such as hot sauce, mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise. vinegar is sometimes used in chutneys. it is often used as a condiment on its own, or as a part of other condiments. marinades often contain vinegar. soups sometimes have vinegar added to them, as is the case with hot and sour soup. in terms of its shelf life, vinegar's acidic nature allows it to last indefinitely without the use of refrigeration; it is essentially already "spoiled". beverages a beverage made from apple vinegar in china several beverages are made using vinegar, for instance posca in ancient rome. the ancient greek drink oxymel is made from vinegar and honey, and sekanjabin is a traditional persian drink similar to oxymel. other preparations, known colloquially as "shrubs", range from simply mixing sugar water or honey water with small amounts of fruity vinegar, to making syrup by laying fruit or mint in vinegar for several days, then sieving off solid parts and adding considerable amounts of sugar. some prefer to boil the "shrub" as a final step. these recipes have lost much of their popularity with the rise of carbonated beverages, such as soft drinks. diet and metabolism preliminary research indicates that consuming 2–4 tablespoons of vinegar may cause small reductions in post-meal levels of blood glucose and insulin in people with diabetes. nutrition distilled or red wine vinegar is 95% water, with no fat or protein. in a 100 ml (3+1⁄2 us fl oz) reference amount, distilled vinegar supplies 75 kj (18 kcal) of food energy and no micronutrients in significant content. the composition (and absence of nutrient content) for red wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar are the same, whereas balsamic vinegar is 77% water with 17% carbohydrates, 370 kj (88 kcal) per 100 ml, and contains no fat, protein, or micronutrients. in folk medicine since antiquity, folk medicine treatments have used vinegar, but no conclusive evidence from clinical research supports health claims of benefits for diabetes, weight loss, cancer, or use as a probiotic. a systematic review and meta-analysis later suggested it could help type 2 diabetics reduce insulin and glucose after meals. some treatments with vinegar pose risks to health. esophageal injury by apple cider vinegar has been reported, and because vinegar products sold for medicinal purposes are neither regulated nor standardized, such products may vary widely in content and acidity. cleaning white vinegar is often used as a household cleaning agent. for most uses, dilution with water is recommended for safety and to avoid damaging the surfaces being cleaned. because it is acidic, it can dissolve mineral deposits from glass, coffee makers, and other smooth surfaces. vinegar is known as an effective cleaner of stainless steel and glass. malt vinegar sprinkled onto crumpled newspaper is a traditional, and still-popular, method of cleaning grease-smeared windows and mirrors in the united kingdom. vinegar can be used for polishing copper, brass, bronze or silver. it is an excellent solvent for cleaning epoxy resin as well as the gum on sticker-type price tags. it has been reported as an effective drain cleaner. the use of vinegar in dishwashers and washing machines can cause damage to their rubber seals and hoses, leading to leaks. according to testing done by consumer reports, vinegar is ineffective as a rinse aid and in removing hard-water film while used in a dishwasher. according to brian sansoni, chief spokesperson for the american cleaning institute, vinegar "isn’t very useful with stains that have already set into clothing, including food stains and bloodstains." other household items and surfaces that can be damaged by vinegar include flooring, stone countertops, knives, the screens of electronic devices, clothes iron water tanks and rubber components of various small appliances. common metals that can be damaged by vinegar include aluminum, copper, and lower-quality grades of stainless steel often used in small appliances. herbicide and sting relief twenty percent acetic acid vinegar can be used as a herbicide, but acetic acid is not absorbed into root systems so the vinegar will only kill the top growth and perennial plants may reshoot. applying vinegar to common jellyfish stings deactivates the nematocysts, although not as effectively as hot water. this also applies to the portuguese man o' war, which, although generally considered to be a jellyfish, is not (it is a siphonophore). reactions, byproducts, and regulation most commercial vinegar solutions available to consumers for household use do not exceed 5%. solutions above 10% require careful handling, as they are corrosive and damaging to the skin. when a bottle of vinegar is opened, mother of vinegar may develop. it is considered harmless and can be removed by filtering. vinegar eels (turbatrix aceti), a form of nematode, may occur in some forms of vinegar unless the vinegar is kept covered. these feed on the mother of vinegar and can occur in naturally fermenting vinegar. some countries prohibit the sale of vinegar over a certain percentage of acidity. as an example, the government of canada limits the acetic acid of vinegars to between 4.1% and 12.3%, unless it is sold only for manufacturing use and identified as such. when baking soda and vinegar are combined, the bicarbonate ion of the baking soda reacts to form carbonic acid, which decomposes into carbon dioxide, water and sodium acetate completing the carbon cycle.