Pickled cucumber and pickling process thereof

Abstract

The pickling process comprises the following steps: cleaning cucumbers, blanching the cleaned cucumbers, cooling the blanched cucumbers, pickling the cooled cucumbers with salt, and carrying out lactic acid bacteria fermentation on the pickled cucumbers so as to obtain the pickled cucumbers; wherein the blanching water temperature is 85-95 DEG C, the blanching time is 3-5 minutes, the salt amount for salting is 3-5% of the total mass of the cucumbers, the salting end point is that 10-15% (g / g) of water is removed from the cucumbers, the fermentation liquor comprises 0.003-0.008% (v / g) of a leavening agent during lactobacillus fermentation, and the fermentation end point is that the total acid content of the fermentation liquor is 0.3-0.8% (g / g). The method solves the problems that in the prior art, the production period of pickled cucumbers is long, the meat is easy to soften, and the product quality is unstable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cucumber deep processing technology, and in particular to a pickled cucumber and its pickling process. Background Technology

[0002] Cucumbers are widely cultivated due to their high yield and good storage life. Fermented pickled cucumbers are crisp, fragrant, and delicious, rich in protein, fiber, various vitamins, and minerals such as calcium, potassium, sodium, and magnesium. They are also popular with consumers as a side dish, especially when paired with hamburgers, as they cut through the greasiness of the food. Processing cucumbers into pickled cucumbers extends their shelf life and increases their commercial value. Current pickled cucumber production uses the traditional pure salt pickling method, i.e., natural fermentation. This method has a long production cycle, is easily affected by environmental factors such as temperature, resulting in a short shelf life, and is prone to softening and inconsistent product quality, making large-scale production difficult. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide a pickling process for pickled cucumbers, which solves the problems of long production cycle, easy softening of flesh and unstable product quality in the existing technology.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] A process for pickling cucumbers includes the following steps: washing, blanching, and cooling cucumbers before salting, followed by lactic acid bacteria fermentation to obtain pickled cucumbers; wherein, the blanching water temperature is 85-95℃, the blanching time is 3-5 minutes, the amount of salt used for salting is 3-5% of the total mass of cucumbers, the salting ends when 10-15% (g / g) of water is removed from the cucumbers, the lactic acid bacteria fermentation liquid includes 0.003-0.008% (v / g) of starter culture, and the fermentation ends when the total acid content of the fermentation liquid is 0.3-0.8% (g / g).

[0006] Furthermore, after blanching the cucumbers, rinse them with clean water for 2-3 minutes, then drain the water and salt them.

[0007] Furthermore, the fermentation broth also contains 3-5% (g / g) of salt.

[0008] Furthermore, the starter culture includes freeze-dried Lactobacillus plantarum powder, and the activity of Lactobacillus plantarum is 10. 8 -10 11 CFU / g.

[0009] Furthermore, the cucumbers' prickles are removed from their skin during washing.

[0010] According to an embodiment, a pickled cucumber obtained by the above process is also provided.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0012] By combining salting and lactic acid bacteria fermentation, the production cycle can be shortened. The resulting pickled cucumbers have a normal color, crisp texture, and a unique cucumber aroma. Their taste and aroma are superior to those of naturally fermented salted cucumbers. Furthermore, after a period of storage, there is no softening of the flesh or change in taste, thus solving the problems of long production cycles, softening of the flesh, and unstable product quality in existing pickled cucumber technologies. Detailed Implementation

[0013] The present invention will be further described in detail below through specific embodiments:

[0014] A pickled cucumber is provided, which is pickled by the following process, including:

[0015] After harvesting, the cucumbers are washed to remove surface thorns, dirt, and other impurities. They are then blanched in water at 85-95℃ for 3-5 minutes to kill any microorganisms and reduce their number before pickling. After blanching, they are rinsed with clean water for 2-3 minutes to lower the temperature, drained, and then salted. The amount of salt used is 3-5% of the total cucumber weight. The salting temperature is 20℃. Salting ends when the cucumbers have lost 10-15% (g / g) of water. After salting, lactic acid bacteria fermentation is carried out. The fermentation broth is mainly composed of pure water, and also includes 0.003-0.008% (v / g) of starter culture (specifically, freeze-dried *Lactobacillus plantarum* powder), 3-5% (g / g) of salt, and 1-5% (g / g) of sugar. The *Lactobacillus plantarum* activity is 10. 8 -10 11 The fermentation temperature was 25℃, and the fermentation ended when the total acid content of the fermentation liquid was 0.3-0.8% (g / g). During fermentation, 1 kg of salted cucumbers corresponded to 1.5 L of fermentation liquid. After fermentation, pickled cucumbers were obtained.

[0016] The following table shows the experiments and results statistics:

[0017]

[0018] Note: The product data was obtained after the samples were sealed in tin cans and stored at 50°C for 30 days.

[0019] As shown in the table above, the products obtained in Examples 1-3 have good quality and a shorter total production cycle. The production cycle of Example 4 is longer and the product quality is slightly worse. The production cycle of Example 5 is even shorter, but the quality is the worst.

[0020] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pickling process for cucumbers, characterized in that, The process includes the following steps: washing, blanching, and cooling cucumbers before salting, followed by lactic acid bacteria fermentation to obtain pickled cucumbers. The blanching water temperature is 85-95℃, the blanching time is 3-5 minutes, the amount of salt used for salting is 3-5% of the total cucumber mass, and the salting process ends when 10-15% (g / g) of water is removed from the cucumbers. During lactic acid bacteria fermentation, the fermentation broth contains 0.003-0.008% (v / g) of starter culture, and the fermentation ends when the total acid content of the fermentation broth reaches 0.3-0.8% (g / g).

2. The pickling process for pickled cucumbers as described in claim 1, characterized in that, After blanching the cucumbers, rinse them with clean water for 2-3 minutes, then drain the water and salt them.

3. The pickling process for pickled cucumbers as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fermentation broth also contains 3-5% (g / g) of salt.

4. The pickling process for pickled cucumbers as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The starter culture includes freeze-dried Lactobacillus plantarum powder, and the activity of Lactobacillus plantarum is 10. 8 -10 11 CFU / g.

5. The pickling process for pickled cucumbers as described in any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Remove the prickles from the cucumber skin when washing it.

6. A type of pickled cucumber, characterized in that, The pickled cucumbers obtained by any one of claims 1-5.

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