Abstract
Japanese pickling vegetables “Tsukemono” are a main componet of Japanese cuisine. Pickles were first produced as a means of preserving food. Pickles with various salt concentration are produced in Japan. Pickles are preserved by osmotic pressure of salt and glucose, sugar and other materials. Lactic acid bacteria of fermented vegetables are either Gram positive aerobic or facultatively anaerobic organisms and are salt resistant. The growth of spherical lactic acid bacteria constantly regardless of fermentation temperature, but at higher temperatures, the growth of lactobacilli (rod) occurred along with the sporadic growth of lactic enterococci and pediococci (sphere).
Salt was the most important limiting factor, because fermented vegetables cannnot be made without salt. The optimum concentration og salt for the growth of lactic acid bacteria was found be in the range 2-4%. Fermeted vegetables are produced at various area of the world. Kimuchi (Korea), Sauerkraut (Europe) and Paozai (China) are well-known fermented vegetables.
