ʻO ka waikawa acetic kahi waikawa carboxylic saturated e loaʻa ana ʻelua mau ʻātoma kalapona a he mea nui ia e loaʻa ana ka oxygen o nā hydrocarbons. ʻO kona ʻano molekala ʻo C₂H₄O₂, me ke ʻano hoʻonohonoho CH₃COOH, a ʻo kona hui hana ʻo ia ka hui carboxyl. Ma ke ʻano he ʻāpana nui o ka vīnega, ʻike nui ʻia ka waikawa acetic glacial ʻo ia hoʻi ka waikawa acetic. No ka laʻana, aia nui ia ma ke ʻano o nā esters i loko o nā huaʻai a i ʻole nā ​​​​ʻaila mea kanu, ʻoiai i loko o nā ʻiʻo holoholona, ​​​​nā excretions, a me ke koko, aia ka waikawa acetic glacial ma ke ʻano he waikawa manuahi. Loaʻa i ka vīnega maʻamau he 3% a 5% acetic acid.

Ma mua o 20 mau makahiki o ka ʻike ma ke ʻano he mea hoʻokuʻu aku i ka waikawa acetic glacial, hiki ke loaʻa ka ʻikepili. Kaomi ma aneʻi e kiʻi i kahi ʻōlelo kūʻai.