802 17 Vegetables and Vegetable Products
ing, ductile stickiness, or looseness or flaccidity
(beans, cucumbers, carrots); build-up of a sticky,
ductile, gum-like structure (asparagus), or pasty,
soggy structure (celery, kohlrabi); or hull harden-
ing (peas).
17.2.4 Pickled Vegetables
Pickled vegetables are produced by spontaneous
lactic acid fermentation (white cabbage, green
beans, cucumbers, etc.). The fermentation lowers
the pH, inhibits the growth of undesirable acid-
sensitive microorganisms and, simultaneously, af-
fects the enzymatic softening of cells and their
tissues, thus improving digestibility and whole-
someness. The use of salt also has a preservative
effect. The acidic pH of the medium stabilizes
vitamin C.
While the preservation techniques outlined in ear-
lier sections were aimed at retention of the origi-
nal odor and flavoring substances of the raw ma-
terial, including regeneration of lost aroma con-
stituents, this is not important in pickled vegeta-
bles since a new typical aroma is developed.
17.2.4.1 Pickled Cucumbers (Salt and Dill
Pickles)
Unripe cucumbers, after addition of dill herb and,
if necessary, other flavoring spices (vine leaf,
garlic or bay leaf), are placed into 4–6% NaCl
solution or are sometimes salted dry. Usually,
the salt solution is poured on the cucumbers
in a barrel and then allowed to ferment and,
if necessary, glucose is added. Fermentation
takes place at 18–20◦C and yields lactic acid,
CO 2 , some volatile acids, ethanol and small
amounts of various aroma substances. Homo-
and heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria like
Lactobacillus plantarum, L. brevisandPediococ-
Fig. 17.7.Production of sauerkraut
cus cerevisiaeare involved in the fermentation
of pickled cucumbers. In contrast to sauerkraut,
Leuconostoc mesenteroidesdoes not play a role.
The lactic acid (0.5–1%) initially formed is later
metabolized partly by film yeast or oxidative
yeasts that grow on the surface of the brine. Thus,
the original pH value of the fermenting medium
(3.4–3.8) is slightly increased.
Apart from spontaneous fermentation, controlled
fermentatioin on inoculation withLactobacillus
plantarum andPediococcus cerevisiae is also
used.17.2.4.2 Other VegetablesGreen beans, carrots, kohlrabi, celery, asparagus,
turnips and others are processed similarly to
cucumbers. Sliced green beans, for example,
are treated with salt (2.5–3%), subjected to
lactic acid fermentation at about 20◦C, and
marketed in barrels, cans or glass jars. Some
pickled vegetables, mostly those that were not
blanched or precooked, will not soften during
later cooking.17.2.4.3 SauerkrautLactic acid fermentation has been used for mil-
lenia for the production of sauerkraut (Fig. 17.7).
It was also customary earlier to place the cabbage
into acidified wine or vinegar. White cabbage
heads are cut into 0.75–1.5 mm thick shreds,
then mixed with salt at 1.8–2.5% by weight.
The shreds are then packed into tanks of wood
or reinforced concrete, coated with synthetics.
After the shreds have been packed in layers, they
are tamped and weighted down so that a layer
of expressed brine juice covers the surface.
The lactic acid fermentation initiated by starter
cultures occurs spontaneously at 18–24◦Cfor