Microbiological and chemical changes during the natural fermentation of white cabbage (sauerkraut)

FERNANDA MOZZI; GRACIELA FONT DE VALDEZ; GRACIELA SAVOY DE GIORI; GUILLERMO OLIVER

Microbiologie-Aliments-Nutrition

Año: 1993 vol. 11 p. 229 - 233

The microbial kinetics and the chemical changes occurring during the spontaneous feremnattion of white cabbage (sauerkraut) were studied. During the initial stage, a mixed homofermentative (Streptococcus faecium, S. faecalis, and Pedicoccus acidilactici) and heterofermntative (Lactobacillus brevis and L. fermentum) population developed (up to 65 and 35% respectively)  No species of teh genus Leuconostoc were isolated at any of the fermentation stages. L. plantarum started to frow after 24 h of fermentation, reaching a maximum value between the 7th and 21st days. This period coincided with the disappearance of cocci and heteroferemntative lactobacilli. No difference in the microbial flora of two fermentation vessels was found, despite the lower buffering capacity in one, which caused a different pH-acidity relationship. A light amount of acetic acid (up to 0.3%) was produced but no butyric acid was detected in any of the samples analysed. 90% of teh total sugar concentration was consumed after 28 days, at the end of the fermentation. The values of soluble nitrogen indicated scarce proteolytic activity. The amount of L(+) lactate was larger in one of the vessels than in the other. This fact evidences that, despite the similarity of the species of lactic acid bacteria developed in both vessels, the strains possess a different capacity for the production of the L(+) isomer.