Vinegar is mainly used in cooking, seasoning etc., and can be used as a cleaning agent.

Vinegar contains water and acetic acid. IMDG Code list Acetic Acid under different entries as per the concentration of acid

• UN 2789 ACETIC ACID, GLACIAL or ACETIC ACID SOLUTION, more than 80% acid, by mass, Class 8 (3) PG II
• UN 2790 ACETIC ACID SOLUTION not less than 50% but not more than 80% acid, by mass, Class 8 PG II
• UN 2790 ACETIC ACID SOLUTION more than 10% and less than 50% acid, by mass, Class 8 PG III

Most vinegars contain 5% acetic acid. Some of these vinegars are classified by shippers under UN 2790 PG III some are classified as non-hazardous. Any vinegar which meets the corrosion criteria must be classified under class 8 and assigned to most appropriate proper shipping name.

Classification of corrosive substances in class 8 is basis skin corrosion and metal corrosion. Packing groups are assigned to corrosive substances in accordance with the following criteria

Packing group I is assigned to substances that cause irreversible damage of intact skin tissue within an observation period of up to 60 minutes starting after the exposure time of three minutes or less.

Packing group II is assigned to substances that cause irreversible damage of intact skin tissue within an observation period of up to 14 days starting after the exposure time of more than three minutes but not more than 60 minutes.

Packing group III is assigned to substances that:

1.  cause irreversible damage of intact skin tissue within an observation period up to 14 days starting after the exposure time of more than 60 minutes but not more than 4 hours; or
2.  are judged not to cause irreversible damage of intact skin tissue but which exhibit a corrosion rate on either steel or aluminium surfaces exceeding 6.25 mm a year at a test temperature of 55°C when tested on both materials.

References

• IMDG Code chapter 2.8
• OECD Guideline for the testing of chemicals No. 404 Acute Dermal Irritation/Corrosion 2015.
• OECD Guideline for the testing of chemicals No. 435 In Vitro Membrane Barrier Test Method for Skin Corrosion 2015.
• OECD Guideline for the testing of chemicals No. 431 In Vitro Skin Corrosion: Reconstructed Human Epidermis (RHE) Test Method 2016.
• OECD Guideline for the testing of chemicals No. 430 In Vitro Skin Corrosion: Transcutaneous Electrical Resistance Test Method (TER) 2015.
• Manual of Tests and Criteria, part III, section 37