Use of inoculated lactic acid bacteria in fermenting sour cabbage

Abstract

Fermentation of sour vegetables has to date occurred through the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) naturally present in vegetables. The present article deals with preliminary studies on the effects of some LAB inocula (Lactobacillus alimentarius or Pediococcus pentosaceus) on fermenting sour cabbage. The effect of LAB on yeast growth, a problem in sour vegetables, was also studied through the use of dual yeast and LAB inocula. The pH of cabbage juice decreased to levels under pH 4 during the first 10 days of fermentation, which is near the final values, pediococci decreasing the pH to the lowest values. The LAB count in inoculated cabbages increased by 0.5-2.0 log cfu (colony forming unit) /g during the first 10 days of fermentation and thereafter decreased. Pediococci formed predominant part of microbial flora almost in all experimental batches. In cabbage challenged with yeasts, yeast counts rose only when the pH was < 3.5. Yeasts appeared almost regularly also in cabbages inoculated only with LAB. Pediococci fermented cabbage effectively decreasing the pH to lower levels than lactobacilli or natural LAB. However, too strong a decrease in pH may result in a decrease of LAB count which may subsequently lead to yeast growth. The yeast problem could not be solved with the LAB inocula used in our study.