Preparation of Spiced Sauerkraut by Using Lactic Acid Bacteria and By Natural Fermentation

Fresh cabbage was procured from the market and sliced into thin shreds. The shredded cabbage was fermented by four treatments, i. e. , (a) Sodium chloride ( 2.25 %), (b) Sodium chloride ( 2.25 %) + Lactobacillus plantarum, (c) Sodium chloride ( 2.25 %) + mustard powder ( 1 %) + spices ( 0.5 %) (d) Sodium chloride (2.25 %) + mustard powder (1 %) + spices (0.5 %) + Lactobacillus plantarum. During fermentation samples of brine were drawn at different time intervals for biochemical and microbiological analysis. In all the four treatments, total sugar and reducing sugar in the brine increased slowly to 3 % and 2 %, respectively upto 8th day and then decreased. Maximum total acidity (1.98-2.22 %) was observed on 15th day which remained constant upto 90 days. The pH of the shredded cabbage was 6.9 and decreased to around 4 after 15 days and then remained constant. Around 60 % of vitamin C was preserved upto 90 days. From cultural, morphological, physiological and molecular analysis, it was observed that Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Micrococcus were dominant at start of fermentation, but as the fermentation proceeded number of these microorganisms decreased and Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus became dominant. Coliforms were absent in all four treatments. Overall acceptability was higher in the Sauerkraut prepared by addition of spices whereas inoculation of Lactobacillus plantarum made no significant difference.