Vinegar pickle

Why does one have to add salt to vinegar pickle? I have used neat vinegar and had no problems with it.

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Vinegar in the USA is a 10% acetic acid. It is weak. I’m the U.K. it is often 25%. Adding salt chances the acetic acid to a hydrochloric acid

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My memory told me the standard vinegar acidity was 5%, so I checked my cupboard and my balsamic from italy was 6%, the Italian red wine vinegar was 5% and the rice wine vinegar was 4.3% Looking up distilled white vinegar, I find it is available in dilutions of 6%, 10% and 20% and one chemical company has it in 30%. Any solution stronger than 10% is considered corrosive to the skin. In Canda it is limited to the range of 4/1 to 12.3%. Interesting! I think what you’ll find at the grocery is mostly 5 to 6%.

In the US, 5% is the standard acidity of white distilled vinegar, according to my resident food scientist.

Thanks Ronda. I’ve always wondered about that. I’m in Australia, I’ll check the vinegar bottle to see the strength here.

In Canada you can get 10% cleaning vinegar from the hardware store. Natura brand