Vinegar test Vinegar test Vinegar test is a cervical cancer testing method that uses acetic acid, a major component of vinegar. It has been found to be useful as an effective and inexpensive screening test. It has the potential, say researchers from the University of Zimbabwe and Johns Hopkins University, to improve the chances of preventing cancer in developing world. The technique, termed VIA (Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid)/Cryo, was endorsed by the World Health Organization in 2010. Vinegar is brushed on a woman’s cervix and precancerous spots turn white. These can be instantly frozen off with a metallic probe cooled with
Sorbic acid Sorbic acid Sorbic acid, or 2,4-hexadienoic acid, is a natural organic compound used as a food preservative. It has the chemical formula CH(CH)COH. It is a colourless solid that is slightly soluble in water and sublimes readily. It was first isolated from the unripe berries of the "Sorbus aucuparia" (rowan tree), hence its name. The traditional route to sorbic acid involves condensation of malonic acid and trans-butenal. It can also be prepared from isomeric hexadienoic acids, which are available via a nickel-catalyzed reaction of allyl chloride, acetylene, and carbon monoxide. The route used commercially, however, is from crotonaldehyde and ketene.