With The 'mother

The 'mother' is a cloudy, gelatinous substance made of yeast and acetic acid bacteria. It forms naturally during the fermentation of apple cider vinegar. It is not filtered out in raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar.

The 'mother' is not typically added to foods as an ingredient itself. It is a sign of the natural fermentation process in raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. It is found in vinegars and is sometimes consumed for its purported health benefits.

The 'mother' is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA when present in naturally fermented apple cider vinegar. It is thought by some to contain beneficial bacteria, though scientific evidence for specific health benefits in humans is limited and mixed. International bodies like EFSA have not specifically evaluated the 'mother' as a distinct ingredient.