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Pickling

Pickling is a food preservation process where food is preserved by anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. This process lowers the pH level to below 4.6, which kills bacteria and allows foods like meats, fruits, eggs, and vegetables to be preserved for months. Pickling involves adding salt, spices, or vinegar to draw moisture from foods and introduce lactic acid bacteria to naturally ferment the foods and further lower the pH level through production of lactic acid or acetic acid. The specific microorganisms that dominate the fermentation process depend on the temperature and salt concentration used.

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228 views1 page

Pickling

Pickling is a food preservation process where food is preserved by anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. This process lowers the pH level to below 4.6, which kills bacteria and allows foods like meats, fruits, eggs, and vegetables to be preserved for months. Pickling involves adding salt, spices, or vinegar to draw moisture from foods and introduce lactic acid bacteria to naturally ferment the foods and further lower the pH level through production of lactic acid or acetic acid. The specific microorganisms that dominate the fermentation process depend on the temperature and salt concentration used.

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jay
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“Pickling”

Pickling is the process of preserving or expanding the lifespan of food by


either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The resulting food is called a pickle, or, to
prevent ambiguity, prefaced with pickled. The pickling procedure will typically affect the food's texture and
flavor. In East Asia, vinaigrette (vegetable oil and vinegar) is also used as a pickling medium. Foods that
are pickled include meats, fruits, eggs, and vegetables.

Another distinguishing characteristic is a pH of 4.6 or lower, which is sufficient to kill most bacteria.
Pickling can preserve perishable foods for months. Antimicrobial herbs and spices, such as mustard
seed, garlic, cinnamon or cloves, are often added. If the food contains sufficient moisture, a pickling brine
may be produced simply by adding dry salt. For example, German sauerkraut and Korean kimchi are
produced by salting the vegetables to draw out excess water. Natural fermentation at room temperature,
by lactic acid bacteria, produces the required acidity. Other pickles are made by placing vegetables in
vinegar. Like the canning process, pickling (which includes fermentation) does not require that the food
be completely sterile before it is sealed. The acidity or salinity of the solution, the temperature of
fermentation, and the exclusion of oxygen determine which microorganisms dominate, and determine the
flavor of the end product.

When both salt concentration and temperature are low, Leuconostoc mesenteroides dominates,
producing a mix of acids, alcohol, and aroma compounds. At higher temperatures Lactobacillus
plantarum dominates, which produces primarily lactic acid. Many pickles start with Leuconostoc, and
change to Lactobacillus with higher acidity.

History
The exact origins of pickling are unknown, but the ancient Mesopotamians may have used the process
around 2400 B.C.[5] Pickling was used as a way to preserve food for out-of-season use and for long
journeys, especially by sea. Salt pork and salt beef were common staples for sailors before the days of
steam engines. Although the process was invented to preserve foods, pickles are also made and eaten
because people enjoy the resulting flavors. Pickling may also improve the nutritional value of food by
introducing B vitamins produced by bacteria.

Etymology
The term pickle is derived from the Dutch word pekel, meaning brine. In the U.S. and Canada, and
sometimes Australia and New Zealand, the word pickle alone almost always refers to a pickled cucumber,
except when it is used figuratively. It may also refer to other types of pickles such as "pickled onion",
"pickled cauliflower", etc. In the UK, pickle, as in a "cheese and pickle sandwich", may also refer
to Ploughman's pickle, a kind of chutney.

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