Sustainable Production and Characteristics of Dried Fermented Vegetables

Abstract

The current fashion for healthy food and the increasing number of people with lactose intolerance make fermented vegetables increasingly important. On top of this, surpluses unused in the vegetable harvest can become a potential source of “green waste”. The use of fermentation and freeze-drying can result in a valuable, sustainable product that can solve the problems of spoiled vegetables and the need for refrigerated storage. Therefore, this study aimed to obtain sustainable dried fermented vegetables and to compare their selected physical and structural properties. Beetroot, carrot, and red pepper were selected for this purpose. These vegetables were subjected to a spontaneous lactic fermentation process. After the process, the vegetables were freeze-dried, and their structure and selected properties (color, dry weight, and the number of lactic acid bacteria) were determined. Fermented vegetables were found to differ from their raw sources in structure and color, the main discrepancies being shown by the b* factor (yellow-blue). Root vegetables had smaller pores of structure in the freeze-dried samples than red peppers. The freeze-drying process did not affect the number of bacteria. It can be concluded that both the fermentation and the freeze-drying processes affected the structure of the selected vegetables. All tested vegetables can be fermented and freeze-dried without major changes in color and microbiological properties and can be used as a potential source of lactic acid bacteria and health-promoting pigments, e.g., in the form of chips. In addition, their shelf life is extended.

Influence of the Salt Addition during the Fermentation Process on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Dried Yellow Beetroot

“…The bioactive components become more available, which improves the absorption of antioxidants and has other benefits. Fermentation also reduces the "earthy taste" of beetroots, which is caused by geosmin [15,[23][24][25].…”

Impact of Fermentation Pretreatment on Drying Behaviour and Antioxidant Attributes of Broccoli Waste Powdered Ingredients

“…Acid-lactic fermentation also improves the nutritional and health attributes of foods by bioconverting phytochemical compounds, such as polyphenols, into more bioactive and bioaccessible forms [34,35]. On the other hand, fermentation modifies the raw material structure, loosening the cell wall and increasing the size of tissue pores [36], which would determine the fermented material behaviour during subsequent drying. L. plantarum has been reported as the most widely used for fermenting plant substrates and it is a versatile strain that enhances fermented products properties [37,38].…”