Applicability of different methods of preserving sauerkraut

Food fermentation is used as a preservation process, contributing to the stabilization and transformation of raw materials through metabolic activity of microorganisms, especially in different types of perishable foods with high water content. Sauerkraut is an example of a fermented food, produced by the spontaneous fermentation of lactic acid bacteria present in cabbage leaves and influenced by the addition of salt. The objective was to develop and compare two types of sauerkraut salting, one with liquid brine (1.5%) and one with dry salting (2.5%). For the production of the formulation with liquid brine, a brine was prepared with 30 g of salt (1.5% salt/g of cabbage) for 2 liters of water. The cabbage leaves were scalded in boiling water for 5 seconds, drained and placed in a sanitized container. Then the brine was added to the cabbage until it covered all the leaves. In the dry salted formulation, in a sanitized glass container, cabbage and salt (2.5% salt/g of cabbage) were added, and the leaves were pressed to release the water present, forming a natural brine that covered the entire cabbage. These steps were repeated until the vial was completed. All formulations were stored at 20° C for three weeks, performing weekly pH monitoring. Sauerkraut fermented with 1.5% liquid brine reached a final pH of 4.01, showing a low level of lactic acid bacteria activity. In comparison, the dry-salted fermented formulation achieved a final pH of 3.52, ideal for ensuring microbiological quality, in addition to presenting greater crunchiness and a low fermentation aftertaste. The dry-salted process demonstrated higher quality and safety, but was slower, lasting two weeks. In both products, the addition of salt is essential, as it aids fermentation and preservation. It can be concluded that the 2.5% dry-salting methodology proved reliable for sauerkraut production, generating benefits in sensory aspects, shelf life, and microbiological safety.