FI83587B - Salt solution for preserving gherkins - Google Patents

Description

1 83587

Brine to preserve the throat

The present invention relates to the preservation of throat and in particular to a brine for preserving the throat in large batches.

Cucumbers can be salted and stored immediately after harvest in so-called "fresh packs", giving the salted cucumbers a good taste and a crunchy texture. The processing of cucumbers to produce fresh packaging is also very simple, as it essentially involves only putting the sorted and cleaned cucumbers in cans or jars, then adding brine, closing the cans or jars, and finally heat treating the closed cans or jars to pasteurize their contents. The disadvantage of this method is that. that a very high processing capacity must be used during a relatively short harvest period.

In order to overcome this disadvantage and to allow the handling of large quantities of cucumbers during the extended period with less staff and processing equipment, part of the crop is used normally and stored in large batches in large containers. Cucumbers are removed from these containers at the desired rate in the usual manner.

Without going into more detail on the various known fermentation methods, it can generally be said that pickles processed from such large batches used are not as high quality as freshly packaged cucumbers. Controlling the fermentation stage to produce a uniform quality is also difficult and the yield, taste and texture of salted cucumbers are not as good as in the case of fresh packs.

2,83587

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a brine for preserving cucumbers in large batches without a fermentation step. The present invention replaces the fermentation methods previously used for storing cucumbers in large batches before processing the cucumbers into pickles for consumer packaging. The present invention makes it possible to produce pickles of substantially the same quality as the fresh packaging method, but only as much staff and capital investment is required as using known fermentation methods to store cucumbers in large batches to await preservation.

According to the present invention, cucumbers are preserved in large batches by immersing them in brine containing at least about 0.15 kg of sodium chloride, 0.01-0.05 kg of acetic or lactic acid or a non-toxic salt thereof, at least 1 g of Na-benzoate, at least 1 g of K sorbate, at least 1 g of calcium chloride, at least 50 mg of ascorbic acid and at least 50 mg of citric acid per liter of said brine. Where only a lower limit is given, it is to be understood that the upper limit is determined by how well the ingredient in question dissolves in the brine.

Example

Sorted cucumbers of different sizes were washed and peeled shortly after harvest. The cucumbers were then stored in containers immersed for about 2 months in an aqueous brine of a volume corresponding to the application of the present invention and containing per liter of said aqueous broth: 0.3 kg NaCl, 0.024 kg acetic acid, 3.5 g Na benzoate, 3.5 g CaCl. 2.5 g of K-sorbate, 400 mg of ascorbic acid and 400 mg of citric acid.

After this storage period, the brine was removed and 3,83587 stored cucumbers were soaked in water to reduce the brine salinity to less than 2% by weight. The soaked cucumbers were then placed in cans or jars along with a flavored preservative solution containing conventional preservatives such as sweeteners, vinegar, salt and spices. Finally, the cans or jars are sealed and heated to pasteurize their contents.

It was found that the method allowed the use of larger cucumbers than the above fermentation methods and that the cucumbers thus preserved and processed were crunchy and of the same quality as freshly packaged cucumbers, although the cucumbers had been stored in large batches for a long time before processing.

Claims (2)

1. Salt solution for preserving cucumbers in large batches; characterized in that the solution contains per liter of saline solution at least 0.15 kg sodium chloride, 0.01-0.05 kg acetic or lactic acid or non-toxic site thereof, at least 1 g sodium benzoate, calcium chloride and potassium sorbate and at least 50 mg ascorbic acid and citric acid. Salt solution according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains per liter of aqueous solution: 0.3 kg sodium chloride 0.024 kg acetic acid 3.5 g sodium benzoate 3.5 g calcium chloride 2.5 g potassium sorbate 400 mg ascorbic acid 400 mg citric acid