Tag Archives: lactic acid bacteria

Science Facts Sundays: And More Notes on Fermenting Pickles

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Welcome to Science Facts Sundays.

These are some notes I took when reading Fermented and Acidified Vegetables (Chapter 50). I found it simply fascinating and it answers questions so many people have about why their pickles don’t turn out. There is a lot of information here, and I will spread this over several weeks. The last time I spoke on pickles was a month ago, from a different source. You can read that post here.

You may find this geeky - so be forewarned! If fermentation doesn’t appeal to you, check back in a few weeks and I’ll have moved on to something else that you may be interested in.

This week we learn how commercial pickles are made, what are the principle spoilage organisms and why they may grow, how much pressure can be produced by pickles in a fermenting jar, how to prevent listeria from growing in your kraut, and the amount of CO2 in the brine that could cause bloater damage… Continue reading →

Science Facts Sundays: More Notes on Fermenting Pickles

Reply

Welcome to Science Facts Sundays.

These are some notes I took when reading Fermented and Acidified Vegetables (Chapter 50). I found it simply fascinating and it answers questions so many people have about why their pickles don’t turn out. There is a lot of information here, and I will spread this over several weeks. The last time I spoke on pickles was a month ago, from a different source. You can read that post here.

You may find this geeky - so be forewarned! If fermentation doesn’t appeal to you, check back in a few weeks and I’ll have moved on to something else that you may be interested in.

This week we learn why you want to avoid commercial pickles and make your own, why salt is important in fermentation of pickles, how salt prevents soft pickles, what is the deciding factor for brine concentration in vegetable ferments, what exactly causes softening of pickles, what increases the microflora in pickles, and where the bacteria is found in cukes… Continue reading →

Sourdough Starter in 12 hours

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I know - it’s unbelievable!

Everywhere you read, it takes days to make sourdough. Well I suppose if you follow directions, that may be true.

For me, recipes are guidelines. I tell my family, “If you like it, make sure you take seconds, because it may not ever come out like this again.”

I much prefer sourdough to regular bread since it has been soaked and is easier on the gut. Sometimes I don’t prepare enough ahead to have it ready in time, so we don’t eat sourdough as often as I’d like.

So I am thrilled to have stumbled on making quick sourdough starter. Continue reading →

Science Facts Sundays: Fermentation and Oxidation, Temperature, Nutritional Requirements, and pH

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Welcome to Science Facts Sundays.

This is part of the notes I took about fermentation from Fermented Fruits and Vegetables. A Global Perspective. (Chapter 2). It was one of the sources I used when writing The Science Behind Sauerkraut Fermentation a couple of months ago (my ebook version is here).

You may find this geeky - so be forewarned! If fermentation doesn’t appeal to you, check back in a few weeks and I’ll have moved on to something else that you may be interested in.

This week we learn the difference between aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, what facultative anaerobes and microaerophilic organisms are, why you want to “suffocate” your ferment, the optimum temps LABs need, how refrigerating your ferment could ruin it, and the optimum pH you want to keep spoilage at bay… Continue reading →

Science Facts Sundays: Notes on General Fermenting

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Welcome to Science Facts Sundays.

This is part of the notes I took about fermentation from Fermented Fruits and Vegetables. A Global Perspective. (Chapters 1 and 2). It was one of the sources I used when writing The Science Behind Sauerkraut Fermentation a couple of months ago (my ebook version is here).

You may find this geeky - so be forewarned! If fermentation doesn’t appeal to you, check back in a few weeks and I’ll have moved on to something else that you may be interested in.

This week we learn the benefits of fermentation, the common groups of micro-organisms involved in fermentation, the kinds of bacteria, yeast, and molds we are looking for - and not looking for -, what makes ferments less susceptible to spoilage, the purpose of enzymes and what they are sensitive to, and how vinegar can ruin your ferment… Continue reading →

Can Fido jars defy science? Can they provide a fail-safe, spoilage-free ferment with no brine cover? Find out…

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After completing Sauerkraut Survivor, I knew there was more I wanted to find out about fermenting jars. When I opened the Fido I was impressed with the amount of CO2 it holds (it was bubbling for minutes after I opened it, as you can see on this YouTube video I made). I had to do more experimenting.

In particular, I wanted to know: since the Fido has the advantage of holding in more CO2 than other airlock systems - could that be an advantage that would perhaps allow the sauerkraut to be spoilage-free with no weight at all? It can be difficult to find something that keeps those floaters down - and floaters seem to attract spoilage. It would be handy to not need a weight. Continue reading →

Science Facts Sundays: Notes on Sauerkraut Fermentation, Part 5

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Welcome to Science Facts Sundays.

This is Part 5 in a series of notes I took about sauerkraut fermentation from Fermented Fruits and Vegetables. A Global Perspective. (Chapter 5, Part 3). It was one of the sources I used when writing The Science Behind Sauerkraut Fermentation a couple of months ago (my ebook version is here).

You may find this geeky - so be forewarned! If sauerkraut fermentation doesn’t appeal to you, check back in a few weeks and I’ll have moved on to something else that you may be interested in.

This week we learn what the most important factors involved in your ferment are, a word on starter cultures, the most common reason sauerkraut spoils, what caused soft kraut, if dark or pink ‘kraut is bad… Continue reading →

Science Facts Sundays: Notes on Sauerkraut Fermentation, Part 4

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Welcome to our fourth edition of Science Facts Sundays.

This is Part 4 in a series of notes I took about sauerkraut fermentation from Fermented Fruits and Vegetables. A Global Perspective. (Chapter 5, Part 2). It was one of the sources I used when writing The Science Behind Sauerkraut Fermentation a couple of months ago (my ebook version is here).

You may find this geeky - so be forewarned! If sauerkraut fermentation doesn’t appeal to you, check back in a few weeks and I’ll have moved on to something else that you may be interested in.

This week I share why you can achieve a “tang” even when you didn’t make sauerkraut correctly, how much salt to use, why water activity is important, what the end result of sauerkraut should contain, and how a Fido will give you spoilage-free sauerkraut even with no brine covering… Continue reading →

Science Facts Sundays: Notes on Sauerkraut Fermentation, Part 3

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Welcome to our third edition of Science Facts Sundays.

This is Part 3 in a series of notes I took about sauerkraut fermentation from Fermented Fruits and Vegetables. A Global Perspective. (Chapter 5). It was one of the sources I used when writing The Science Behind Sauerkraut Fermentation a couple of months ago (my ebook version is here).

You may find this geeky - so be forewarned! If sauerkraut fermentation doesn’t appeal to you, check back in a few weeks and I’ll have moved on to something else that you may be interested in.

This week I share what LABs produce, which ones produce more, how much oxygen they require, which one initiates ferment, how it makes its own anaerobic environment, and more… Continue reading →

Science Facts Sundays: Notes on Sauerkraut Fermentation, Part 1

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Welcome to our first edition of Science Facts Sundays.

This is Part 1 in a series of notes I took about sauerkraut fermentation from a study published in 1987. If you are interested in that report, you may read the pdf version for yourself right here. It was one of the sources I used when writing The Science Behind Sauerkraut Fermentation a couple of months ago (my ebook version is here).

You may find this geeky - so be forewarned! If sauerkraut fermentation doesn’t appeal to you, check back in a few weeks and I’ll have moved on to something else that you may be interested in. Continue reading →