Glacial Acetic Acid

The 99.5 percent or higher concentrated form of Acetic Acid, the active acid of vinegar. The dominant acidulant in pickling, sauce manufacturing, and condiment production, providing the characteristic vinegar flavor profile.

Clear, transparent liquid with pungent, vinegar-like odor. Solidifies into ice-like crystals below 16.6 °C, the source of the name 'glacial.' Miscible with water in all proportions.

We supply food-grade Glacial Acetic Acid from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production.

Common market grades include Standard Food Grade (99.5 percent minimum, FCC compliant), Pharmaceutical Grade meeting BP/USP/EP specifications, Industrial Grade for solvent and chemical-synthesis applications, and pre-diluted Vinegar Stock at 5 to 20 percent for direct food use.

Bulk shipments in tankers, IBC totes, and drums. Batch-level COA covering assay, evaporation residue, color, formic acid, heavy metals, and microbiology.

Acetic Acid has been known to humanity since prehistoric times as the active component of vinegar, produced naturally by acetic acid bacteria fermenting alcoholic beverages. Industrial production for chemical use was established in the 19th century.

Modern industrial production of Glacial Acetic Acid proceeds primarily by the methanol carbonylation process (the Cativa process or older Monsanto process), where methanol and carbon monoxide react under catalysis to yield acetic acid at high purity. Smaller-scale production by acetaldehyde oxidation and bacterial fermentation also operates.

Regulated as E260 in the EU, classified as Generally Recognized as Safe by the U.S. FDA, listed in BP, USP, and EP pharmacopoeias, and approved by JECFA without a numerical Acceptable Daily Intake limit.

The molecule's pKa of 4.76 places it in the moderate-acid range, with sourness intensity meaningfully lower than citric or malic acid. The defining sensory property is not sourness itself but the characteristic pungent vinegar aroma that comes from acetic acid's high vapor pressure even at low concentrations.

Strategic role in food manufacturing combines acidulant function with flavor contribution: in pickled vegetables and condiments, the vinegar character is the desired sensory effect, not a side effect. This makes Glacial Acetic Acid the only food acidulant that functions primarily as a flavor ingredient rather than as a pH or sourness adjuster.

• Pickled vegetables, sauerkraut, and pickled relish products; the dominant acidulant in this category globally
• Vinegar manufacturing as a starting concentrate that is diluted with water and aged
• Salad dressings, mayonnaise, and condiments including ketchup and barbecue sauce
• Pickled meats and fish; pH control and microbial preservation
• Bakery products: sourdough flavoring and bread-improver formulations
• Cheese manufacturing for direct-acidification process and emulsifier salt blends
• Pharmaceutical pH-adjusting agent and solvent for active ingredients
• Cleaning products and household applications
• Industrial applications: solvent for cellulose acetate, vinyl acetate monomer production, and chemical synthesis