[A contribution to the distinction of biogenic vinegar and vinegar made from synthetic acetic acid by determining the specific 14C-radioactivity (author's transl)].

The method of Simon et al. [2] for the separation of the acetic acid from vinegar prior to the determination of the specific 14C-radioactivity has been modified. The precipitation as calcium acetate and the preparation of free acetic acid by addition of diphosphoric acid has been replaced by an extraction procedure with diisopropylether which is faster and cheaper. On the Austrian market glacial acetic acid (Merck, p.A.) having the natural spezific 14C-radioactitivity was found. The natural specific 14C-radioactivity is therfore necessary but not sufficient to prove the biogenic origin of vinegar.