Indigenous fermented pickles and their probiotic nature

 
In India, we're likely to find a wide variety of pickles from every region, from fruits like mango, lime/ citron, pineapple, herbs like garlic, turmeric, green pepper, ginger and veggies like cucumber, brinjal, carrot, raddish to the meat and fish pickles. But apart from being a side dish that our Indian taste buds cannot do without, do pickles have any health benefits?

Lets see…
Pickles are made two ways; fermenting or instant pickling.

Fermented pickles have probiotics whereas, instant pickles don’t. I'm not discouraging any method of pickling as both tastes equally good and serve the sensory purpose. 
But if pickles are fermented, the growth of the good microbes is encouraged as part of the process as also it is used to make the pickles less vulnerable to spoilage by “bad” microbes.
 
Similarly, fermented pickles are generally of two types;
(i) sour fermented pickles made by submerging raw materials in a dilute brine (2–5% salt). Naturally occurring bacteria grow over by 5 days to 3 weeks to produce lactic acid, which then prevents the growth of food poisoning bacteria and other spoilage microbes. The amount of added salt controls the type and rate of the fermentation,
(ii) whereas, in spiced fermented pickles, they are preserved by a combination of lactic or acetic acid (vinegar), sugar and spices.

Traditionally fermented pickles are spontaneously fermented, that produce heterogeneous aroma constituents contributing to some important characteristics, such as texture, taste, and longer shelf-life. This short review summarizes an overview on which type of microbial communities are grown in  pickles and their nutritional and health benefits they could confer upon consumption.

Overview of common traditionally fermented pickles of India:
There are considerable varieties of fermented pickles produced from vegetables, fruits, fish, and meat, which are mostly preferred by consumers due to their extended shelf-life, and acceptable taste and aroma characteristics.

Production and consumption of traditional vegetable-based fermented pickles are part of the different cultures and region in India due to their growing season, climatic conditions, desirable sensory attributes and high nutritional value, as well as extended shelf-life.
Gundruk is a pickle dish of Nepal and North east, which is obtained by fermenting leafy vegetables. The production process is similar to that of sauerkraut, but no salt is added to the shredded leaves before fermentation. Gundruk fermentation is usually dominated by Pediococcus sp. and Lactobacillus sp., with Lb. cellobiosus and Lb. plantarum being the initiators of fermentation (these microbes grow for the climacteric condition of those places).
 
Khalpi is a pickled cucumber product of HP/ North east and above regions, which is usually eaten as pickle after mixing with mustard oil, salt and powdered chilies. The bacteria like Lb. plantarum, Lb. brevis and Ln. fallax are usually involved in khalpi fermentation (Mir et al., 2018, Tamang and Tamang, 2010). Mature and ripened cucumber is chopped into suitable pieces, sun-dried (for 2 days), then put into a bamboo vessel, locally named dhungroo, and made airtight. The fermentation is processed at room temperature for 5–10 days.
 
Fermentation of radish, carrot and veggies in a brine solution (5% NaCl w/v), fermented at 20–30 °C (for 11–17 days), have several beneficial bacterias such as Lactobacillus sp., Pediococcus sp., and Leuconostoc sp. (Damodharan, Palaniyandi, Yang, & Suh, 2015). Sinki is a fermented pickle prepared from radish taproot mixed with oil, salt, and chilies, and is conventionally developed by pit fermentation Sinki is traditionally consumed in India. 

 Figure 2 shows a generalized flowchart for the acid-fermentation of vegetables. 

 
Indeed, fermentation was recognized as an efficient strategy to extend the shelf-life (over a year) and enhance the safety of seasonal produces. For instance, mesu is a pickled bamboo shoot traditionally eaten up by the people of living in the hills area of Sikkim, and the Lepchas of the Darjeeling. The mesu is prepared from fermented young bamboo shoots with oil, chilies, and salt, which can be preserved for a long time. 
Khorisa is another ethnic fermented bamboo shoot product of Assam, and used in traditional meals including fish, meat, and sweets, and dishes cooked with it are popular appetizers among the indigenous population. Poka khorisha (Khorisha tenga) is also an indigenous fermented bamboo shoot foodstuff of Assam. It is milk-white with a faint aroma and sour taste. It is also mixed with edible oil, chilies, and salt (pickled) and preserved in closed containers for up to two years. Like khorisa, Lactobacilli are largely active in the poka khorisha fermentation stage. The fermented tabah bamboo shoot pickle is one of the means to enhance the shelf-life of bamboo shoots. But currently, the bamboo shoots are blanched, once sliced into small pieces, in hot water to reduce their enzymatic activity, and are sundried, packed in an airtight container.
 
For mango pickles the mango slices are added in brine (2–3%, w/v), to prevent the blackening of the cut surface and cured for a week in the sun for 4–7 days. The cured slices are mixed with spices/ingredients (turmeric powder, red chili powder, ground nigella, ground fenugreek, black pepper, fennel and any cold/wood pressed oil preferably sesame oil). The pickles are then, packed into a glass/ ceramic jar and the pickle is ready in about 2–3 weeks. The same with citron, turmeric pickles.. 
 
Special mention to Himachal Pradesh because HP people are famous for their many traditional and unique pickles such as pickled fruits (beedana, lasura, aaroo, nashpati, dheu, galgal) which are made from their indigenous fruits i.e., pear, lasura, peach, dheu and citrus fruits, respectively. The rural folk have preferred fermented foods over the unfermented ones due to their longer shelf life, pleasant taste, texture and appearance. In India a lot of diversity prevails in the food habits of the people living in different states and many of the states especially the hilly states have their conventional fermented products. In ancient time when hilly state did not have transport systems, people were dependent on food material available seasonally/locally and developed their traditional recipes for food processing and preparation. The plant materials used by the people for pickle preparation included its leaves, stem, fruits, buds, vegetables and roots.
 
Microbial profiling in fermented pickles and their probiotic nature:

The microorganisms involved in traditionally fermented pickles are restricted to a few categories of bacteria, yeasts and fungi. The consumption of the traditional pickles as part of a food diet, confer a health benefit on the host (FAO/WHO, 2002).

Bacteria have the most influential roles in the making of a large number of pickles. Amongst bacteria, LABs are widespread in pickles, by cause of their ability to make high levels of lactic acid as well as being skilled to survive under high acidic conditions.
Lactic acid bacteria (LABs)- During traditional pickling, genera such Lactobacillus (Lb) (Lb. plantarum, Lb. brevis), Leuconostoc (Ln), Pediococcus (P. pentosaceus, P. acidilactici), and Enterococcus (E. faecium, E. faecalis) are dominant due to their capacity to tolerate considerable high concentrations of salt and sugar.
Bacilli- Some species of Bacillus (e.g., B. subtilis, B. natto, B. licheniformis, B. thuringiensis, B. coagulans, and B. megataerium) have been found in pickles and are rated as generally regarded as safe (GRAS). They are used to facilitate fast re-establishment of the healthy microbiota of the gastrointestinal (GI) tracts and prevent the invasion and colonization of enteric pathogens and also lower cholesterol.
 
What’s more, the addition of spices also enhances the micronutrient and antioxidant properties of pickles, making them nutrient-dense and effective even in small amounts. Studies not only indicate that eating pickles can give your immune system a boost but also helps fight free radical damage. All of this makes eating pickles seem like one of the healthier dietary practices out there.

Fermented pickles have been shown to promote:
·        Better regulation of bowel movements
·        Better calcium and mineral absorption
·        Stimulation of digestive enzymes
·        The growth of healthy gut flora
·        Better regulation of our metabolism
·        Better protection of our gut lining
·        Protection from infections

What a wonderfully yummy addition to our list of gut health superfoods right!

 Common sensory pickling problems and how to prevent/solve them.
 

Problem	Causes	Prevention/Solutions
Soft, slippery slimy pickles (discard pickles, spoilage is occurring)	Hard water, acid level too low, cooked too long or at too high a temperature, water bath too short, bacteria not destroyed, jars not airtight, jars in too warm a resting place	–       Use salt and vinegar with 5% acidity. Follow a current, tested recipe for proper ratios of salt to vinegar –       Pickles must be completely covered with brine during fermentation and in the jar –       Follow the recommended processing time in a current, tested recipe using a boiling water canner –       Airtight the pickling jars
Shriveled, tough pickles	Pickles overcooked, syrup too heavy, too strong a brine or vinegar solution, pickles not fresh enough at outset, fruit cooked too harshly in vinegar/sugar mixture	–       Gradually add salt, sugar or vinegar until the full amount has been incorporated –       Follow a current, tested recipe, using the recommended amounts of salt, sugar and vinegar at 5% acidity –       Follow recommended cooking and processing times in a current, tested recipe
Dark, discolored pickles	Iron utensils used, copper, brass, iron, or zinc cookware used, hard water, metal lid corrosion, too great a quantity of powdered and dried spices used, iodized salt used	–       Use soft water. Hard water contains minerals –       Use unchipped enamelware, glass, stainless steel or stoneware utensils when making pickles. The minerals in materials react with the acid in the pickling liquid –       Use whole spices –       Whole spices used to flavour pickling liquid, including those contained in a spice bag, should be removed before preserving
There is white sediment on the bottom of the jar	Harmless yeasts have grown on the surface and then settled to the bottom, additives in table salt	–       None. The presence of a small amount of white sediment is normal –       When canning, use salt which does not contain additives
Pickles have a strong, bitter taste	Spices were old, they were cooked too long in the vinegar or the quantity was excessive, vinegar used was too strong, salt substitutes contain potassium chloride, which is naturally bitter	–       Use fresh spices — whole spices should be used within 3 to 4 years of purchase. Follow current, tested recipes to ensure quantities and times are correct –       Use vinegar with the proper strength for fresh preserving: 5% acidity –       Do not use the salt substitutes

Sources: Barrett (2003), Kingry and Devine (2006).

There is quite an unhealthy twist to the modern pickle story and limiting its consumption, that's true especially if you also have other risk factors for hypertension and heart diseases. It’s also important to note that many commercially manufactured pickle brands are in fact too spicy and oily and also contain artificial preservatives, which negates the gastrointestinal benefits of eating pickles and doesn’t aid the immune system much either.
So, if you must get a taste of pickle, opt for those that are homemade, natural and contain balanced amounts of salt and spices. Even then, go for restrained consumption instead of overindulgence to maintain your health.

 Do you have a favorite fermented pickle recipe?  Share it below, let’s learn it together..