Better Vinegar Flexibility With Toners

Vinegar is a staple ingredient in a wide range of applications—from salad dressings to condiments, sauces to soups. Although a slight flavor note from vinegar is sometimes welcome, few consumers look for harsh vinegar flavors in their foods.

David Michael & Co. offers a complete line of vinegar toners that improve vinegar flavor and consistency. Because the toners are designed to be added to distilled white vinegar, manufacturers need to inventory only one type of vinegar. “They really serve a functional purpose in that they mellow the harshness,” says Steve Wilbur, vice president, marketing. “They supply the taste and aroma —and color, if required—of whatever type of vinegar is being replaced or simulated. They are economical, offer uniformity in color and flavor, and provide improved overall stability. They also allow manufacturers to keep lower inventories.”

Every agricultural crop faces unpredictable periodic variances. Manufacturers who regularly source apple cider vinegar understand this reality, and fluctuations in the vinegar’s composition might dictate a need for adjustments to product formulas. However, by using an apple cider vinegar toner—which has controlled quality and character—blended with distilled white vinegar, a manufacturer can reliably create the same product every time.

Depending on the quality of the apple cider vinegar a manufacturer purchases, use of toners with white vinegar can result in cost savings, such as when blending 100-grain white vinegar with water and an apple cider vinegar toner. For example, combining 100 gal. of 100- grain white distilled vinegar with 100 gal. water and 4 gal. apple cider vinegar toner yields 204 gal. of 50-grain “apple cider” vinegar. Wilbur notes 2% is a typical use rate, “but it can lower or higher, depending on the toner and the flavor profile required for the finished product.” He suggests common use levels from 1.5% to 2.5%.

“David Michael’s vinegar toners mellow the harsh note of vinegar through a complex mixture of compounds, salts, amino acids and natural botanical extracts and sweetness enhancers that impact our taste perception of acid and sweet recognition,” says Wilbur. “We can deliver complementary tastes of the opposing nuances, hence reducing the acid bite of a variety of vinegars.” The toners can be labeled “natural flavors.”

In addition to apple cider, the all-natural vinegar toners are available in red wine, white wine, malt, balsamic and tarragon flavors.

David Michael & Co., Inc.
10801 Decatur Road 
Philadelphia, PA 19154 
Phone: 215/632-3100 
Fax: 215/637-3920 
Website: www.dmflavors.com