What is the mother?

Apple cider vinegar is made through a two-step process. First, yeast is added to apple juice to break down the sugars and turn them into alcohol. Then, bacteria is added, which converts the alcohol into acetic acid. This bacteria is what is known as the mother, because it is the catalyst that gives rise to the vinegar. Many store-bought apple cider vinegars have the mother removed because it gives the vinegar a cloudy appearance, which can lead some customers to believe that the product has gone bad. But this is not the case. In fact, the mother is the healthiest part!