In this experiment of pickling fruit and vegetables, the main objectives are to explain the

purpose of each step involved and explain the function of each ingredient. Pickling is a process
of preserving fruits and vegetables in brine, oil, water or vinegar. Pickles come in all shapes,
sizes and varieties but to simplify things we can establish that they all use an acid to preserve
them. The first step in pickling process is choosing fruit or vegetable to use. Then, the fruit and
vegetable must be washed, rinsed and cut into suitable size. Size reduction is applied where
knife is use to cut the fruit and vegetable. The purposes of size reduction are to increases surface
area of the solid and increases the rates of many processes. In the formulation, the ingredients
are salts, vinegar, water, sugar and vegetables. All the ingredients being dissolved in water on
a slow heating. Heating process makes them last even longer and stops any enzymes within the
vegetables themselves spoiling the taste or texture.
The process that occurs when vegetables are brined is that the salt draws moisture out of the
produce and the high salinity prevents bacteria from spoiling the vegetables in the short term.
A special family of bacteria called lactobacillus are able to thrive in this salty environment and
lactobacillus bacteria is on all fruits and vegetables. These Lactobacillus bacteria consume
some of the naturally occurring sugars in the vegetables and the by-product of this is that they
produce lactic acid and carbon dioxide. Over time the lactic acid they produce builds up and
the pH of the brine drops lower. Some bacteria, such as certain strains of salmonella, listeria
and e-coli are able to survive in acidic environments.
Salt is effective as a preservative because it reduces the water activity of foods. The water
activity of a food is the amount of unbound water available for microbial growth and chemical
reactions. Salt’s ability to decrease water activity is thought to be due to the ability of sodium
and chloride ions to associate with water molecules. Adding salt to foods can also cause
microbial cells to undergo osmotic shock, resulting in the loss of water from the cell and
thereby causing cell death or retarded growth (Davidson, 2001). It has also been suggested that
for some microorganisms, salt may limit oxygen solubility, interfere with cellular enzymes, or
force cells to expend energy to exclude sodium ions from the cell, all of which can reduce the
rate of growth (Shelef and Seiter, 2005).
Fermented pickles still have a tangy, zing just like pickles made with vinegar and this is
because they use acidity as a means of preservation, however, the acid is actually lactic acid
produced by lactic acid producing bacteria, lactobacillus. Lactobacillus is a bacteria that
ferment natural sugars in foods and converts them to lactic acid. As the acid is produced during
fermentation the rising acidic environment helps preserve the food. Vinegar is so useful at
preserving food simply because it is an acid that is safe to consume and it inhibits the growth
of spoilage organisms. Acid is the reason why vinegar is used in food preservation. Low pH
environments inhibit microbial activity. Meanwhile, sugar balances out the acidity from the
vinegar and also reduces water activity.

Citric acid creates a slightly tart, refreshing flavor and balances the sweetness in soft drinks, teas,
juices, and other drinks. The acidic pH of citric acid also makes it useful as a preservative. As
citric acid can be made in a powder form, it can also be used in dry foods when a sour flavor is
desired. Citric acid is a dry alternative to lemon juice or vinegar in dry foods such as seasoning
salts, flavoring powders, and crunchy snacks. Citric acid is sometimes used to create an acidic
environment.
After mixing pickling solution with fruits and vegetables, some analyses were done toward the
pickling solution which are observation total soluble solid and Ph. The observation was done
on the 0th and 7th days. Total soluble solid on 0th is 25oBrix while on 7th is 19oBrix. It is
decreasing with time because sugar is also decreasing. It made the pickle taste salty and tangy.
Ph level was measured using ph meter. On 0th is 3.16 while on 7th is 2.37. The vegetable
ferments can achieve a pH of around 3. At this level, there is a noticeable acidity and sourness.
As well as this the pH is low enough to prevent any other bacteria from growing of surviving.
A pH of 4.3 or lower is all that is required to prevent any harmful bacteria from growing so
these lacto-fermented pickles are safe to eat many months after being made. Food acidity is
important in preventing botulism, a foodborne illness that comes from eating contaminated
food with toxins produced by C. botulinum. This fact is used in preparing pickled fruits and
vegetables.
Indeed, pickling is an easy home preservation method. It rivals freezing, canning and drying
for preventing food from spoiling. It also adds unique flavours to meals that might otherwise
be boring. Furthermore, many fermented foods are also good sources of nutrients, including
vitamins, amino acids and healthy bacteria. Last but not least, fruits and vegetables can be
preserved longer than they be eaten fresh. In short, pickling is one of the more cost-effective
ways to preserve food.

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