Objectives

1. To understand the principle process involved in the making of pickles.

2. To understand the preservation concept used in production of pickles.

Introduction

Pickling is a relatively old method of food preservation. It is estimated that the first
pickles were produced over 4000 years ago using cucumbers native to India. The ancient
Egyptians and Greeks both have written about the use of pickles for their nutritive value and
healing power. Pickles were a common food during the time of the Roman Empire and they
soon spread throughout Europe. In America, pickles have always been popular. The first
travelers to America kept pickles in large supply because they were nutritious and did not
spoil during the long journeys. It is interesting

Pickling is the process of preserving food by anaerobic fermentation in brine to

produce lactic acid, or marinating and storing it in an acid solution, usually vinegar (acetic
acid). Brine is a solution of salt in water. The resulting food is called a pickle. This procedure
gives the food a salty or sour taste. Pickling is preserving a food with acid and salt. The key
to safe pickling is making sure that the acid is high enough to kill any microorganism that can
lead to spoilage and illness.

Pickles are also good appetizers and digestive agents. There are several varieties of
pickles and they are consumed throughout the year by people. Unimaginable quantities of
pickles are being produced everyday.

While there are many different types of pickles, some characteristics are common to
all. In general, pickled cucumber is crisp vegetables, which can be described as having a
strong, biting flavor caused by the vinegar in which they are stored. Different pickle
manufacturers normally add spices to give their pickles a unique flavor. Dill-flavored pickles
are perhaps the most common of all pickles. There are also sweet pickles, which are packed
with added sugar. These are typically used for making relishes.
Procedure

1. Three types of fruit to be pickling were chosen

2. The fruits were cut into small dice pieces.
3. 114g of salt and 1.78g of sodium benzoate were mixed together with 686g of sugar in a
bowl.
4. 960g of water was boiled and 1800g of vinegar was added into boiling water until the
vinegar were smelted.
5. The mixture of the salt, sodium benzoate and sugar were then added into the boiled water
and the mixture was stirred until soluted.
6. The mixture was kept stirred to ensure all mixtures were dissolved in a few minutes.
7. The 3 type fruits were soaked with lime to make lime soaked pickles.
8. The vinegar mixture was poured in 6 different container after all the mixture of salt,
vinegar and sodium benzoate were dissolved.
9. Those 3 different soaked fruits were put in three containers and unsoaked fruits also were
put into the container.
10. The hot vinegar was poured evenly into the container and those containers were labelled
as soaked and unsoaked pickles.
11. The result was taken after 14days left at room temperature.
Results

Water Activity

Pickles Water Activity (aw) Temperature (˚c)

Guava 0.65 25.1
Pink Guava 0.636 25.1
Sweet Turnip 0.632 25.1

Moisture Content

Fruits Initial Weight (g) Final Weight (g) Differences

Guava 2.031 1.126 0.905
Pink Guava 1.940 0.893 1.047
Sweet Turnip 2.020 1.114 0.906

Day 1

Pickles with lime

Pickles pH Temperature (˚c)

Guava 2.83 26.8
Pink Guava 2.86 23.8
Sweet Turnip 2.93 25.7

Pickles with normal solution

Pickles pH Temperature (˚c)

Guava 2.43 26.6
Pink Guava 2.58 26.3
Sweet Turnip 2.61 26.3

Day 14

Pickles with lime

Pickles pH Temperature (˚c)

Guava 2.83 25.4
 Pink Guava 2.94 25.4
Sweet Turnip 2.78 25.4

Pickles with normal solution

Pickles pH Temperature (˚c)

Guava 2.52 25.4
Pink Guava 2.68 25.4
Sweet Turnip 2.40 25.4

Total Soluble Solid (Brix)

Pickles Normal Solution Lime

Guava 31% 31%
Pink Guava 33% 31%
Sweet Turnip 33% 32%

Colour

Pickles Normal Solution Lime

Guava Reddish brown Reddish brown
Pink Guava No change No change
Sweet Turnip No change brownish

Hedonic test

9- Like extremely

8- Like very much

7- Like moderately

6- Like slightly

5- Neither like nor dislike

4- Dislike slightly

3- Dislike moderately

2- Dislike very much

1- Dislike extremely

Attributes Scale
Colour 6
Aroma 8
Taste 8
Texture 6
Overall 6
Discussion

Pickling is the process of preserving food by anaerobic fermentation in brine to

produce lactic acid, or marinating and storing it in an acid solution, usually vinegar (acetic
acid). Brine is a solution of salt in water. The resulting food is called a pickle. This procedure
gives the food a salty or sour taste. Pickling is preserving a food with acid and salt. The key
to safe pickling is making sure that the acid is high enough to kill any microorganism that can
lead to spoilage and illness.

There are six basic types of ingredients used for pickle making. Sweet turnip, Guava
and Pink Guava are the main food bulk.. The additional ingredients include acids, flavorings,
preservatives, and stabilizers that make up the liquid, or liquor, in which the pickle is sold.
Vinegar (Acetic Acid) is the primary ingredient used in pickle manufacturing. After water, it
makes up the bulk of the pickle liquor and contributes significantly to the flavor of the pickle
giving it a sour taste. Additionally, it also has a preservative effect and is nontoxic. Vinegar is
derived from naturally occurring sugars or starches through a two-step fermentation process.
Starch is converted to sugar, which is then yeast fermented to form alcohol. The alcohol is
exposed to an acetobacteria, which converts it to vinegar.

Other ingredients, which impact the final taste of the pickles, are added to the liquor.
Sugar is used to provide a sweetness to offset the sour taste of the vinegar. It also helps to
make pickles more plump and firm. Salt is added for flavor and it also has an added
preservative effect. Sodium benzoate is a common type of food preservative and is the
sodium salt of benzoic acid.

Based on the result, the pH value for all three sample is below 4.7 and it is within the
acidic range. The FDA defines lactic acid bacteria based pickles pH to be below 4.7. Each
recipe can have a different Ph value, but for purposes of safety, they need to be below 4.7. At
that, no pathogenic microbes can exist.

For the sensory result, the colour of the fruits maintained. Due to the liquor, the
aroma of the fruits mixed with the aroma liquor makes it more appetizing. The fruits feels
watery inside our mouth because the fruits were soaked with the liquor and it makes it more
delicious.
Conclusion

Pickling is one way to preserve a food from being contaminated by bacteria.

Furthermore, the nutrients of the food are also being preserved. Vinegar is used to make the
food sour. If the food is sour, it means that its pH is low and when the pH is low, it means that
it is acidic. Low pH helps to prevent the food from being contaminated. Total Soluble Solid is
to measure the sweetness of the liquor.

Reference

1. Anonymous (2014) , The pickling Process Available at

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickling]

2. Anonymous (2014) , Pickling Available at [http:// pickling preservation

process /Encyclopedia/Britannica.html]

3. Anonymous (2014) , Food Preservation Available at [http:// Food

Preservation Techniques/ Learn How to Pickle Real Food-MOTHER EARTH
NEWS.html]

4. Perry Romanowski (1995) , Pickles manufacturing process available at

[http://www.madehow.com/Volume-4/Pickle.html]