FEDERAL INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY
RU PATENT OFFICE
IPC Revision WG-
Subject: VINEGAR;
Definition Project D288
ITS PREPARATION
IPC range: C12J
Modified Rapporteur Proposal
12-07-2012
Title – C12J
Vinegar;
Its preparation
Definition statement
This subclass covers:
 Vinegar is a liquid, e.g. for human consumption, produced exclusively from
suitable raw materials, i.e. starting materials, containing starch and/or sugars
by the process of double fermentation, first alcoholic and then acetous.
 Vinegar production which is based on fermentation of natural starting
materials by acetic acid-bacteria growing in a medium containing ethyl
alcohol.
 Vinegar compositions using natural starting materials, e.g. wine, alcohol,
milk, rice, pumpkin, coconut water
 Vinegar compositions containing at least one substance produced by
fermentation
 Methods for vinegar preparation by means of combining biochemical
processes and physical treatment, e.g. by using mother of vinegar (bacterial
culture) with adding sugar to start or to accelerate fermentation process and
using heat treatment for maintaining fermentation temperature or for
pasteurization
 Purification of vinegar by means of filtration, absorption, ion exchange e.g.
by passing through active carbon layer or a bed of ion-exchange resin
material, or by using of molecular sieve
 Addition of flavouring ingredients, e.g. pepper to make vinegar spicier,
orange-peel or lemon juice to get citrus taste
 Apparatus for preparation of vinegar i.e. bioreactors
 Apparatus for purification of vinegar such as absorbers, ion exchange
apparatus, filters
Relationship between large subject matter areas
C12J covers vinegar, per se, and vinegar compositions containing at least
one substance produced by fermentation which are used for human consumption.
The product resulting from merely diluting concentrated synthetic acetic
acid is not considered vinegar for the purposes of C12J. Preparation of acetic acid
per se, by chemical synthesis is normally classified in several groups of subclass
C07C e.g. C07C 53/08, C07C 51/00.
C12J covers biochemical aspects of vinegar preparation, whereas the use of
vinegars per se for different purposes are classified in the appropriate application
places of the IPC, e.g. in A23B for food preservation, in A23L for food, foodstuff
or nonalcoholic beverages (e.g. as a condiment A23L 1/24), in A21D as ingredient
for bread compositions, in A61K for medical or toilet purposes, A23C in dairy
products, C12G for preparation of alcoholic beverages.
References relevant to classification in this subclass
This subclass does not cover:
Examples of places where the subject matter of this class is covered when specially
adapted, used for a particular purpose, or incorporated in a larger system:
Places in relation to which this subclass is residual:
Informative references
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Separation, e.g., filtration absorption in general
B01D
Preparation of acetic acid by inorganic synthesis
C01B 3/02
Preparation of acetic acid by organic synthesis
C07C 51/00-51/38
Separation, purification or stabilisation of acetic acid
C07C 51/42-51/50
Synthetic acetic acid prepared by chemical synthesis
C07C 53/08
Apparatus specially adapted to employ
microorganisms or enzymes as “reactants” or
“biocatalysts”
C12M 1/00
Acetic acid Bacteria
C12N 1/20
Preparation of acetic acid by fermentation or
enzyme-using processes
C12P 7/54
Special rules of classification within this subclass
In this subclass, it is desirable to add the indexing codes of subclass C12R to
complement classification by additional information relating to the microorganisms used in fermentation processes.
Glossary of terms
In this subclass, the following terms (or expressions) are used with the meaning
indicated:
Vinegar
A sour liquid consisting of dilute and impure
acetic acid, obtained by acetous fermentation
from grape or fruit wine, cider, beer, ale or the
like used for human consumption.
Synonyms and Keywords
In patent documents the following abbreviations are often used:
In patent documents the following expressions/words "---" and "---" are often used
as synonyms.
In patent documents the expression/word "---" is often used instead of "---" which
is used in the classification scheme of this subclass.
In patent documents the expression/word "---" is often used with the meaning "---"
Lada Tsikunova
Natalia Alisova