In a study carried out in 2020 on the fermentation of vegetable, the “Fermentation and Distillation” working group investigated options for conserving vegetables and developing new and innovative products. Lactic acid fermentation (a metabolic process of lactobacilli) can be employed for this purpose. But lactic acid fermentation also causes other changes to the product: For instance, digestibility is improved and the contents of vitamins and other factors beneficial to human health are increased. The addition of salt impairs the development of microorganisms which might spoil the product; by also lowering the pH value, the product’s quality can be preserved.
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The development of fermented vegetable products: Case study on red beets
In a study carried out in 2020 on the fermentation of vegetable, the “Fermentation and Distillation” working group investigated options for conserving vegetables and developing new and innovative products. Lactic acid fermentation (a metabolic...
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Development of a fermented canned vegetable product based on red beets In this study, the “Fermentation and Distillation” working group investigated the development of a fermented canned vegetable based on the red beet ( Beta vulgaris L. var....
Development of a fermented canned
vegetable product based on red beets
In this study, the “Fermentation and Distillation” working group investigated the development of a fermented canned vegetable based on the red beet (Beta vulgaris L. var. Conditiva). The red beet is a vegetable and can be eaten both raw and cooked. Relatively little is to be found in scientific literature on the lactic acid fermentation of this vegetable.
It was first evaluated how lactic acid fermentation can be best initiated: sealable jars limit the oxygen concentration and prevent the proliferation of molds on the surface. The jars were equipped with a valve to vent the carbon dioxide that is produced (Fig. 1). Both spontaneous fermentation and the use of various commercially available starter cultures were tested. The lactic acid content, the pH value, the product’s texture, and the microflora present at the end of the fermentation process were among the tested parameters. Furthermore, the product’s sensory characteristics were analyzed.
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Findings Initial findings confirm the ability of lactobacilli to develop, to produce lactic acid, and to lower the product’s pH below 4. The commercially available starter cultures that were tested proved to be effective. The microflora in the...
Findings
Initial findings confirm the ability of lactobacilli to develop, to produce lactic acid, and to lower the product’s pH below 4. The commercially available starter cultures that were tested proved to be effective. The microflora in the spontaneously developed lactobacilli displayed a behavior similar to that of the inoculated cultures. The analysis of the texture of the samples in comparison with the raw or cooked commercially available products showed that lactic acid fermentation resulted in a product with a firmness comparable to that of the raw product (though somewhat lower), but distinctly higher than that of the cooked product. This parameter was positively assessed in an initial sensory evaluation. Acid content and flavor were also positively evaluated. On the other hand, the product’s salt content – which was perceived as excessive – was seen as a negative aspect.
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Conclusions and prospects Starting from these observations, lactic acid fermentation appears to be a promising strategy for processing and product innovation. The high betalain content makes the red beet interesting also from a health perspective....
Conclusions and prospects
Starting from these observations, lactic acid fermentation appears to be a promising strategy for processing and product innovation. The high betalain content makes the red beet interesting also from a health perspective. For this reason, the fermentation process should be subjected to closer study – also to improve the long-term stability of the finished product.
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