Essay On Cucumber Pickling

PICKLE: The word pickle derived from a Dutch word ‘pekel’ means ‘Brine’ (1). An edible product, such as a cucumber, that has been preserved and flavored in a solution of brine or vinegar (2). OR

Pickling is the process of conserving or increasing the lifetime of food by either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The resulting food is called a pickle (3).

FERMENTATION: The 'fermentation ' word comes from the Latin verb ‘fervere’ means ‘to boil’ (4). “Fermentation is a process in which an agent causes an organic substance to break down into simpler substances; especially, the anaerobic breakdown sugar into alcohol or acids” (5).

HISTORY: In hot summer there is shortage of water for food production and the production of

Following are the steps involved in fermentation of cucumber pickling.

• Harvesting

• Washing

• Brining

• Fermentation

Harvesting:

• In this method cucumbers are poured into a jar or tank and then brine solution is poured onto the cucumbers so fermentation is allowed to proceeds. Fermentation take at 18-20 C and a naturally occurring bacteria (lactobacilli) present on the cucumbers. In either case, the bacteria are halophyllic, or salt tolerant. During a storage period of about five weeks, the fermentation bacteria breakdown the sugars present in the vegetable and produce carbon dioxide. To prevent adverse effects from the carbon dioxide, the tanks are periodically degassed. Pickles made in this way have a shelf life of many months.

• Processing and packaging:

After the pickles have sufficiently fermented, the salt solution is evacuated. The pickles are then submerged in water to remove all of the salt they may have obtained during the cure. From this point, the pickles are moved along a transporter to a slicing machine which cuts the pickles to the correct size depending on the type of product desired.

Microflora:

• Lactic acid bacteria

• L.plantarum

• L.brevis

• Leuconostoc