Spoilage, aerobic bacterial

Acetic acid content is used as a criterion for aerobic bacterial spoilage in wines. We can easily analyze two wines and determine that one has a lower volatile acidity than the other. But by every available standard of product quality judgment, the wine with the higher level of acetic acid may be the superior product. It is no accident that Subpart ZZ, Part 240, Title 26 of the Code of Federal Regulations allows the direct addition of acetic acid to correct natural deficiencies in grape wine. As sanitation practices have improved, the so-called natural acetic acid content diminished, and this has been correlated with lower consumer acceptance in certain cases (2). 

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