🧂 Wine vinegar
Allergen note
Red and white wine vinegars are not common allergens, but both usually contain natural or added sulfites, which are a declared allergen in the EU and can trigger wheezing or a rash in sensitive people, especially those with asthma. Offer a few drops in food the first time and watch for a reaction.
How to serve
Use it only as a flavoring, never as a drink. From about 6 months, a few drops can brighten mashed lentils or beans, roasted beets or tomato sauce; toddlers can have a little in a mild olive-oil dressing on soft cooked vegetables or in family stews.
Preparation
Mix a few drops into a baby portion, or about 1/2 teaspoon into a family-size dish, and never serve it undiluted. Only traces of alcohol remain after fermentation, so it does not need cooking for that reason, though simmering softens its sharp taste. Frequent acidic foods can wear tooth enamel.
Texture and choking risk
Vinegar is a liquid and not a typical choking hazard on its own, but its sharp acidity can make a baby cough or sputter, and undiluted vinegar can irritate the mouth. Mix it well into food, check the texture of whatever it dresses, keep the bottle out of reach, and always supervise.
Starting ages are typical guidance for healthy, full-term babies who show signs of readiness. Your paediatrician may advise differently, especially where there is a family history of allergy.
Track first tastes and reactions
Log when your child first tries wine vinegar, note any reaction and see it in the allergen tracker.
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