Viability of commercial cucumber fermentation without nitrogen or air purging

This article reviews the causes of bloater defect, sources of the CO2 inducing bloating and strategies to mitigate the production of such gas in fermentations to reduce the defect, including controlled fermentation, inoculation of selected starter cultures, and cover brine acidification and reformulation. It also reviews the application of air or nitrogen purging to reduce bloater index in commercial operations.Key findings and conclusionsMicrobial activity during fermentation, tissue respiration within the cucumbers as well as the pressure in the fermentation tanks and cover brine composition impact the levels of dissolved CO2 conducive to cucumber bloating. It is speculated that the ability of selected gram-negative bacteria, naturally present in soil and fresh cucumbers, to colonize the internal tissue results in the production of trapped CO2 in the endocarp and seed cavity which accumulates causing bloating defect early in the fermentation. Effective manipulation of the indigenous microbiota may enable cucumber fermentations of acceptable quality without purging. Additionally, conversion of the oxygen present in the fermentation, from equilibration with the atmosphere, to hydrogen peroxide instead of CO2 could aid in the reduction of the incidence of bloating.

Source: Trends in Food Science and Technology - July 10, 2018 Category: Food Science Source Type: research