While the abundance of specific ɣ-proteobacteria species varies among vegetable type, several harbor
Enterobacteriaceae
and
Pseudomonadaceae
that benefit the plant system. It is documented that such bacterial populations decrease in density early in vegetable fermentations.
A cucumber fermentation cover brine containing Ca(OH) , 0.26% CaCl , 345 mM (2%) NaCl, and acetic acid to pH 4.7 has a functional combination of ingredients enabling a complete conversion of sugars to lactic acid with reduced production of acetic acid and CO . It represents a process ready cover brine formulation with the potential to allow the manufacture of cucumber pickles with low salt, enhanced food safety, and reduce environmental impact and water usage. Pilot commercial scale cucumber fermentations brined with such ingredients are to reveal the efficacy of this process ready formulation in the presence of oxygen from air in tanks, as opposed to 3.8 L (1-US gal) closed jars in the laboratory.
Aims: Accumulation of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in cucumber fermentations is known to cause hollow cavities inside whole fruits or bloaters, conducive to economic losses for the pickling industry. This study focused on evaluating the use of a malic acid decarboxylase (MDC)-deficient starter culture to minimize CO 2 production and the resulting bloater index in sodium chloride-free cucumber fermentations brined with CaCl 2 . Methods and Results: Attempts to isolate autochthonous MDC-deficient starter cultures from commercial fermentations, using the MD medium for screening, were unsuccessful. The utilization of allochthonous MDC-deficient starter cultures resulted in incomplete utilization of sugars and delayed fermentations. Acidified fermentations were considered, to suppress the indigenous microbiota and favour proliferation of the allochthonous MDCdeficient Lactobacillus plantarum starter cultures. Inoculation of acidified fermentations with L. plantarum alone or in combination with Lactobacillus brevis minimally improved the conversion of sugars. However, inoculation of the pure allochthonous MDC-deficient starter culture to 10 7 CFU per ml in acidified fermentations resulted in a reduced bloater index as compared to wild fermentations and those inoculated with the mixed starter culture. Conclusions: Although use of an allochthonous MDC-deficient starter culture reduces bloater index in acidified cucumber fermentations brined with CaCl 2 , an incomplete conversion of sugars is observed. Significance and Impact of the Study: Economical losses due to the incidence of bloaters in commercial cucumber fermentations brined with CaCl 2 may be reduced utilizing a starter culture to high cell density.
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