White wine vinegar

[khan_sahib]

I was hungry and bought a Mixed bean salad stating "suitable for vegetarians". It was quite nice and later on I checked what kind of beans they have used so that I can make the salad myself I saw the ingredients and found that it contained white wine vinegar.

Now, I don't know what is white wine vinegar and is vinegar halal? Help please.

[mAd_ScIeNtIsT]

As far as I have been able to make out, white wine vinegar is vinegar that has been made from white wine, that is to say, it was treated such that all of the alcohol in the wine became acetic acid.

I think that it is okay.... let's see what the others have to say about it.

The strongest argument I can think of against this is a Hadith I once read where, after all alcohol was banned, someone asked the Prophet (SAWS) if he could turn his wine into vinegar rather than destroy it, and the reply was that he should destroy the wine.

[Pilot25]

I think the alcohol content is so low as to be inconsequential.

I'd defer to those who have more scientific knowledge on this subject than myself.

[ahmadjee]

Its just "sirqa" khan_sahib!

[khan_sahib]

Thanks ppl for the info, salad was really nice.

Btw, why vinegar is not considered as alcohol?

[This message has been edited by khan_sahib (edited June 04, 2001).]

[mAd_ScIeNtIsT]

vinegar is not considered as an alcohol because

a) You can't get drunk on it

b) It contains no ethanol.

In vinegar, as I said before, all of the enthanol has been bacterially converted into ethanoic acid.

[Pilot25]

I believe it's a simmilar thing with bread and yeast.

Yeast produces alcohol when the dough is left to rise. This alcohol gets evaporated during the baking process... I think...

[khan_sahib]

Thanks guys, I believe you are right.

Ms, I know ethanol is CH3-OH but what's the formula for ethanoic acid?

Pilot25, Yes, I have heard the same thing about bread. Interestingly, some people blindly say that it's written in Quran that alcohol is haram. They forget it's not only alcohol but the intoxicants including alcohol that are haram.

[mAd_ScIeNtIsT]

The formula for ethanol as you stated, is

CH3-CH2OH

Ethanoic acid, on the other hand, is

CH3-COOH

The substitution of 2 of the 2 hydrogen atoms on the methylene (CH2) unit by a double bonded oxygen profoundly changes the properties, both physical and chemical, of the molecule. Physically, it has a much higher boiling point, chemically, the increased reactivity from being a carboxylic acid results in ethanoic acid being able to participate in many more reactions than ethanol.

Thus not only does ethanoic acid smell and taste completely different from ethanol (interacting with nerve receptors differently), but is is also treated differently from ethanol by the digestive system.


Oh and as I understand, what is banned in Islam is Al-Khamr - any substance which can get you drunk.
An interesting point to note is that soft drinks such as Coke and Pepsi contain trace amounts of ethanol to act as solvents. Yet no scholar I know has used this as grounds to ban these drinks, on the basis that you can't get drunk on Coke, no matter how much you drink.

Here is a link for further info:
http://islam.org/dialogue/Q24.HTM

[This message has been edited by mAd_ScIeNtIsT (edited June 05, 2001).]

[khan_sahib]

sorry, I must have written the forumula of methanol. .Afterall, it was 9-10 years ago when I did this chemistry.

MS, thanks for the clarification

[mAd_ScIeNtIsT]

It's okay.... I'm doing degree-level chemistry right now so I'm expected to know this kinda thing.......

[[email protected]@jdulara]

in this regard, there is similar topic discussed few months ago, let me pull it up for you.. hope you will find your answer there...

Alcohol in food

[amy]

Doesn't quran say somewhere " eat, drink and be happy". How can you be happy by just drinking water. Wine is a natural product from grapes and if you drink it, it will make you happy.

[Pilot25]

Amy, it sounds like you are equating being drunk with being happy.

One can also be happy whilst drinking water.

[khan_sahib]

Thanks raajdulara. It was informative.