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Malic Acid Degradation and Brined Cucumber Bloating
Author(s) -
McFEETERS R. F.,
FLEMING H. P.,
DAESCHEL M. A.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1984.tb10379.x
Subject(s) - malic acid , bloating , starter , food science , fermentation , lactobacillus plantarum , chemistry , lactic acid , strain (injury) , biochemistry , biology , bacteria , medicine , diarrhea , anatomy , citric acid , genetics
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.