Malic Acid Degradation and Brined Cucumber Bloating
Roger F. McFeeters, H. P. Fleming, M.A. Daeschel
Journal of Food Science
Abstract
ABSTRACT Bloater formation of brined cucumbers increased as more malic acid was degraded to CO 2 and lactic acid. CO 2 production by the brined cucumber, unrelated to malic acid degradation, was 12.5 mM. This was just sufficient to bring cucumbers to the point of bloating. CO 2 from malic acid provided the marginal increase required to cause significant bloating. Fermentation with a strain of Lactobacillus plantarum , which did not degrade malic acid, prevented cucumber bloating. Oxygen exchange of cucumbers before brining increased the amount of CO 2 required to initiate bloating damage by 8 mM. Nonmalic acid‐degrading starter cultures and/or oxygen exchange may be useful alternatives to CO 2 purging from brines to prevent bloater damage.
Extracted Claims
4 claims extracted from this paper into the knowledge graph
oxygen exchange increases CO2 required for bloating
“Oxygen exchange of cucumbers before brining increased the amount of CO2 required to initiate bloating damage by 8 mM.”
malic acid degradation increases CO2 production in brined cucumbers
“Bloater formation of brined cucumbers increased as more malic acid was degraded to CO2 and lactic acid.”
CO2 production causes cucumber bloating
“CO2 from malic acid provided the marginal increase required to cause significant bloating.”