E267 - Buffered vinegar

At a glance

• What it is: vinegar adjusted with food-grade minerals to form a mixture of acetic acid and acetate salts
• What it does: manages acidity, supports flavor balance, and helps inhibit spoilage and some harmful bacteria
• Where you’ll see it: deli meats, sauces, dressings, bakery items, tortillas, and ready-to-eat foods
• Label names: “buffered vinegar,” sometimes “neutralized vinegar” or “vinegar (buffered)”
• Status: authorized in the EU as E267; in the U.S., its components (vinegar and acetate salts) are generally recognized as safe

Why is Buffered vinegar added to food?

Buffered vinegar is added to balance pH (acidity), round out tangy flavors, and help slow the growth of microbes that spoil food. Because it is milder than straight vinegar, it can provide preservation and flavor control without making a product taste overly sour. Many makers also choose it as a familiar-sounding, “kitchen-cupboard” style ingredient in place of harsher-sounding additives.

What foods contain Buffered vinegar?

You’ll most often find buffered vinegar in:

• Chilled, ready-to-eat meats like sliced turkey, ham, hot dogs, and sausages
• Tortillas, flatbreads, and some other bakery products
• Refrigerated sauces, salad dressings, marinades, and dips
• Prepared salads and chilled meals
• Certain cheeses and dairy-based dips

It may appear together with other acidifiers or preservatives to fine-tune pH and shelf life.

What can replace Buffered vinegar?

Depending on the recipe and flavor goal, common alternatives include:

• Other acetate-based ingredients: acetic acid, sodium acetate, sodium diacetate, potassium acetate, calcium acetate
• Other acids and their salts: lactic acid, citric acid, sodium lactate
• Preservatives used for mold/yeast control: sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate
• Non-ingredient strategies like fermentation, refrigerated storage, or modified packaging

How is Buffered vinegar made?

Buffered vinegar starts as standard food-grade vinegar. It is then partially neutralized with approved food-grade bases (such as sodium or potassium compounds) to form a controlled mixture of acetic acid and acetate salts. This process raises the pH compared with straight vinegar, which softens the sourness while preserving its acidity-regulating and antimicrobial functions.¹

Is Buffered vinegar safe to eat?

In the European Union, buffered vinegar is authorized as E267 and has official specifications that define its identity and how it should be made and used in foods.¹ In the United States, vinegar itself is affirmed as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) when used in line with good manufacturing practice,² and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) lists buffered vinegar as a safe and suitable ingredient for certain meat and poultry products when used as directed.³

As with any acidifier, makers use it at levels needed to achieve the intended technical effect (for example, pH control or antimicrobial support).

Does Buffered vinegar have any benefits?

• Helps extend shelf life by lowering pH and discouraging growth of spoilage organisms.
• Offers antimicrobial support in foods like ready-to-eat meats, where it can be used as part of a strategy to control harmful bacteria.³
• Gives a gentler vinegar note than straight vinegar, helping maintain flavor balance.

Who should avoid Buffered vinegar?

• People on sodium- or potassium-restricted diets should check labels. Buffered vinegar may be made with sodium or potassium salts, which can add small amounts of these minerals.
• Individuals sensitive to acidic foods (for example, due to reflux) may prefer to limit acidic ingredients, including buffered vinegar.
• If you are following medical advice to avoid specific salts, consult the ingredient list or ask the manufacturer which neutralizing salts were used.

Myths & facts

• “It’s just vinegar with a fancy name.” Partly true. It is vinegar that has been neutralized in part, creating acetate salts that make it milder and more stable.
• “It’s a synthetic preservative.” No. It is made from food-grade vinegar and food-grade minerals and is regulated like other food additives.
• “It always tastes sour.” Less so than straight vinegar. Buffering reduces sharpness while keeping useful acidity.

Buffered vinegar in branded foods

On ingredient lists, you may see “buffered vinegar,” “neutralized vinegar,” or “vinegar (buffered).” It commonly appears on labels for:

• Sliced deli meats and hot dogs
• Tortillas and flatbreads
• Refrigerated sauces, dressings, and dips
• Prepared salads and chilled meals

Because it is widely accepted by shoppers, many brands use buffered vinegar to support freshness without listing multiple preservatives.

References

Footnotes

1. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0231 ↩ ↩²

2. Vinegar — U.S. FDA eCFR 21 CFR 184.1865. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-184/subpart-B/section-184.1865 ↩

3. Safe and Suitable Ingredients Used in the Production of Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products (FSIS Directive 7120.1) — USDA FSIS. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/fsis-directives/7120.1 ↩ ↩²