Monitoring the physico-chemical parameters of cabbage heads during fermentation: the impact of fermentation conditions and cabbage varieties

Abstract

The influence of different fermentation conditions and cabbage hybrids and variety, ?Tenacity?, ?Bravo? and ?Futoski?, on physico-chemical properties of cabbage heads was studied in this research. Experiment was set up in industrial conditions. Samples 1T, 4B and 7F were obtained by spontaneous fermentation with 3.3% NaCl solution, samples 2T, 5B and 8F were obtained with brine from previous cabbage fermentation and samples 3T, 6B and 9F were treated with 100 mL of lactic-acid starter culture onto 3.3% NaCl solution. Previous cabbage fermentation was done with 3.3% of salt solution and final percentage of salt in brine used for investigation was 2.57%. Cabbage samples were taken after 0, 3, 6, 12, 24 days and at the end of fermentation process (44th day for one group of samples and 55th day for the other) in order to determine total color and texture changes. Temperature and pH value were analyzed during the fermentation process, while water activity (aw) and total sugars content were analyzed for raw cabbage samples and on the last fermentation day. 44th day was determined as the end of fermentation for six samples, and 55th day for three samples, by measuring remaining sugar content. Considering into account all obtained results and fermentation conditions, sample 9F shown the best properties at the last fermentation day in terms of investigated physico-chemical parameters. aw value, shear force, total color change, pH value and total sugar content of this sample on the last fermentation day were 0.958, 14672 g, 8.46, 3.45 and 0.92%, respectively.