Pickled cucumbers are a favorite snack for all occasions. Until mid-summer, they grow and ripen in anticipation of their finest hour - salting. The hostesses painstakingly replenish the stocks of pickles, but bad luck - after a while it suddenly turned out that the brine had become cloudy. Why is this happening and how to fix the situation?
Causes of brine cloudiness
The reasons can be very different - from the wrong selection of vegetables and violation of the rules for sterilizing cans to improper storage and neglect of the recipe.
1. Lactic acid
This substance is a natural preservative. Together with salt, they regulate all chemical processes in the brine. If any disturbances occur during fermentation, an excess of lactic acid occurs, which leads to turbidity of the liquid. That is why vinegar or citric acid is often used for preservation. Both substances neutralize the activity of lactic acid bacteria and protect the brine from cloudiness.
2. Botulism
It is believed that cloudy brine and even a jar with a swollen lid are a clear sign of botulism. However, it is not. Botulism is a disease that provokes poisoning with toxins and causes severe damage to the central nervous system. However, the causative agent of the disease can only exist in an oxygen-free environment and does not cause fermentation with subsequent gas release.
In fact, cloudiness and bloating provoke yeast-like and putrid reactions. Pickles, if properly prepared, cannot contain pathogenic microorganisms. The brine has an acidic environment, which inhibits the formation of pathogenic bacteria.
3. Other problems
- selection of low quality vegetables for pickling and untreated water. Cucumbers should be fresh, flawless. It is better to take bottled or spring water;
- deviations from the recipe can lead to problems with the taste of pickles, their shelf life and even cause diseases;
- poor-quality processing of vegetables, poor sterilization threatens with explosion of cans and damage to the stock of pickles.
Is it okay to eat cucumbers with cloudy brine?
There is no definite answer to this question - it all depends on the condition of the cucumbers.
1. If, after opening the jar, you feel a pungent smell, the cucumbers are blotted or completely sour, and the brine has turned into jelly, it is strictly forbidden to eat such products.
2. In the case when the brine has only slightly cloudy, and the cucumbers have retained a good density, pickles can be eaten, but only after heat treatment. For example, cook a pickle.
If a white bloom appears on the cucumbers after pickling, this is normal. In the process of fermentation, lactic acids are activated and such a reaction is obtained. Just rinse the cucumbers before eating. For pickled vegetables, this is not the norm, they should be thrown away immediately.
How to fix the situation?
It's worth noting that pickled vegetables and pickled vegetables are two big differences. That is why it is important to start from the cooking process.
Salted cucumbers
If chemical processes have a strong effect on the condition of the cucumbers, the jar is swollen or exploded, the pickles should be thrown away. This is unpleasant, sorry for the wasted time and resources, but do not risk your health for a couple of cucumbers.
Pickles can only be rehabilitated if they become cloudy a few days after conservation. In this case, it is important to remove and rinse the cucumbers, sterilize the jars and lids, recheck the recipe and make a new pickle.
Pickles
Pickled vegetables should never be altered. There is only one way out - to throw it away. If you find cloudiness a few days after seaming, you can still check the suitability of the cucumbers.
Place the jar in the refrigerator for a week and watch for changes. A good indicator is the disappearance or precipitation. Cucumbers can be eaten, they are safe for health. A bad sign is no change. Such cucumbers should be thrown away without a twinge of conscience.
Rules for successful conservation
These recommendations will help you avoid troubles during the preservation and storage of pickles.
1. Choose only high-quality, non-overgrown vegetables of the correct shape, without any defects. Ideally, these should be varieties specially designed for conservation.
2. Soak cucumbers before salting, peel off impurities and do not peel the skin.
3. Use only good jars and lids, no damage. Treat them and other cooking utensils carefully.
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4. Vinegar or citric acid, but never use iodized salt.
5. Roll up the cans hermetically, check the quality of the twist.
6. Observe the technology and recipe for preparation, proper storage of pickles.
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Canning problems are normal. Even experienced housewives can fail. It is important to take a responsible approach to the cooking process and your own health. Never eat spoiled or fermented pickles, as poisoning is an even better outcome. Follow our recommendations, read an elementary way to sterilize cans in just 1 minute and your cucumbers will be delicious and crispy.
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/110520/54475/