On Thu, 28 Aug 1997, John C. Pavao wrote:

> Vinegar is not allowed on Neanderthin; no processed foods are.

I've wondered about this.  Vinegar is fermented, but should
contain no proteins that the original fruit would not have
contained.  Some of the original sugars are fermented out,
leaving acetic acid.  It's not clear to me why this would cause
an immune response, and the stuff is usually consumed in minute
amounts, so I don't see much chance of toxicity either.

I have a similar question about dextrose as a minor additive in
foods.  Dextrose is just glucose, which is found in higher
concentrations in many fruits; it is hardly an alien substance.
The difference here is that, unlike vinegar, we *do* sometimes
consume sugar in large amounts.  I can thus understand vigilance
about sugar, but suspect that it is carried too far when foods
are rejected due to the presence of tiny amounts of dextrose.

Todd Moody
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