Determination of Suitable Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes) Cultivars for Pickle Preparation

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the best cultivar of kohlrabi for making pickles among KM-1 (Worldcol), KM-2 (Bejo), KM-3 (Takii), and KM-4 (Monsanto) cultivars. The initial pH of pickles was different in all cultivars; however, they all had a pH in the range of 3.81～3.86 after 28 days of storage. The pickles made from KM-4 had the lowest acidity, while there was no significant difference in acidity among the KM-1, KM-2, and KM-3 pickles. The salinity of all kohlrabi pickles was consistent during the storage period. The changes of color values were accelerated in the following order: KM-4>KM-1>KM-2>KM-3. Though kohlrabi pickles were non-fermented, the change in reducing sugar contents was similar to that of a fermented pickle. The highest value of reducing sugar content was found in pickles made with KM-4. In all cases, the firmness of the pickle decreased as time of storage increased. On the initial day, KM-4 pickle showed the highest firmness with 807.4 g. KM-4 also showed the highest firmness on the 28th day of storage with 602.3 g. In sensory evaluation, the KM-4 pickle exhibited the highest texture (hardness) among the pickles. The pickle made with the KM-4 cultivar showed relatively higher firmness of texture than other cultivars, suggesting that KM-4 could be utilized in other kinds of processed foods, in addition to being pickled.