Pick Your Pickle
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Pick your Pickle 2 CONSUMER’S DIGEST OF CAI SEPTEMBER 2013 What makes a pickle a pickle? Pickling is a global culinary art. If you Pickling foods does much more than were to go on an international food- simply preserve them tasting tour, you’d find pickled foods It can also change their taste and just about everywhere. You might texture in several interesting ways. It’s sample kosher cucumber pickles no surprise that cultures across the in New York City, chutneys in India, globe enjoy such an assortment of kimchi in Korea, etc etc. pickled foods, as you would discover On a most general level, pickles are on your international food expedition. foods soaked in solutions that help In fact, food experts say, the evolution prevent spoilage. There are two basic of diverse pickled foods in different categories of pickles. The first type cultures has contributed to unique includes pickles preserved in vinegar, cultural food preferences, such as a strong acid in which few bacteria spicy sour tastes in Southeast Asia can survive. The other category and acidic flavors in Eastern Europe. includes pickles soaked in brine to Today even though we have many encourage fermentation—the growth techniques to preserve food; many of “good” bacteria that make a food cannot imagine food without pickles!! less vulnerable to “bad” spoilage- Pickles have become an integral part causing bacteria. Common examples of our meal and we have a dedicated of fermented pickles include kimchi industry making a variety of pickles and many cucumber dill pickles. to suit every palate!! Although the process was invented to preserve Pickling is an ancient food preservation foods, pickles are made and eaten technique because people enjoy the resulting It is an ancient technique – more flavors. Pickling also improves than 4,000 years old. For thousands the nutritional value of food by of years, our ancestors have explored introducing B vitamins produced by ways to pickle foods, following bacteria. an instinct to secure surplus food Large variety of pickles available in supplies for long winters, famine, and India other times of need. Historians know, India has a large variety of pickles for instance, that over two thousand which are mainly made from mango, Pick your Pickle years ago, workers building the Great lime, Indian gooseberry (amla), chilli, Wall of China ate sauerkraut, a kind of vegetables such as egg plants, carrots, fermented cabbage. cauliflower, tomato, bitter gourd and 3 3 CONSUMER’S DIGEST OF CAI SEPTEMBER 2013 green tamarind, ginger, garlic, onion is preserved entirely by dehydrating and citron. These fruits/vegetables tender whole mango with salt and are generally mixed with some other is very salty and sour. A special type ingredients such as salt, spices, and of this pickle is jeerige midi prepared vegetable oils and left to mature. using special tender mango with a A special variety of mango pickle refreshing aroma. prepared in Andhra Pradesh State South Indians living along the coast called Avakkai is very popular. This also pickle a variety of fish ormeen. pickle, often described as king of all pickles, is a fine blend of cut mango The Pickling Process pieces, red chilli powder, mustard In chemical pickling, the jar and lid seed powder, salt and sesame oil, are first boiled in order to sterilize each ingredient used in specified them. The fruits or vegetables to be proportion all raw and allowed to pickled are then added to the jar mature for few weeks in porcelain along with either brine or vinegar containers in hot summer. or both, as well as spices, and are Tamil Nadu State has a typical mango then allowed to ferment until the pickle, maavadu, which is usually desired taste is obtained. The food made early in the summer season can be pre-soaked in brine before with tender mangoes that are barely transferring to vinegar. This reduces an inch long. The preservation process the water content of the food which uses castor oil giving the pickle its would otherwise dilute the vinegar. unique taste. This method is particularly useful for fruit and vegetables with high natural Another pickle typical of Tamil Nadu water content. is narthangai consisting of unripe citrons cut into spirals and stuffed with salt. Tamilians also consume sun-dried chillies stuffed with salted yogurt, making a dry preserve called mor molagai that is typically eaten with rice. Tender whole mango pickle is a traditional pickle of Karnataka. This 4 4 CONSUMER’S DIGEST OF CAI SEPTEMBER 2013 PICKLES – PROS AND CONS PROS CONS Most pickles are high in sodium Can help in increasing Sweet pickles are high in sugar appetite. In Large amounts, pickles-may Preserves Vegetables or increase the risk of cardio vascular Fruits for longer periods of diseases. time The high salt content in most pickles- Versatile and Inexpensive. may be harmful to people with high blood pressure. Principles of Preservation prevents the growth of microorganism. 1. Salt 2. Spices and condiments Fruits and Vegetables are preserved by the principle of increased Osmotic Spices and condiments used in the Pressure due to high content of pickles have inhibitory effect in the salt. Salt preserves the food by the growth of micro organisms. following principles: 3. Vegetable Oil It dehydrates foods by drawing Aerobic bacteria and mould growth out and tying up moisture, as it are prevented by covering the top dehydrates microbial cell. with oil. It breaks to yield the chlorine Ingredients in Pickles ion which is harmful to As per The Food Safety and Standards organisms. (Food Products Standards and Food It reduces oxygen in the Additives) Regulations, 2011, “pickles” moisture. may contain onion, garlic, ginger, sugar, salt, jaggery, edible vegetable It sensitizes the cell against oil, green or red chillies, spices, spice carbon dioxide. extracts or oil, limejuice, vinegar, citric It interferes with the action acid, dry fruits, and nuts. Vegetables of photolytic enzymes thus used in Pickles 5 5 CONSUMER’S DIGEST OF CAI SEPTEMBER 2013 Mango, Lime, Green Chilli, Tomato, as there is no specified limit for the Garlic, Onion, Mushroom, Cucumber, addition of these acids specified. Carrot, Cabbage, Turnip, Karonda, and i. Salt Indian Gooseberry are some of the vegetables used in pickles. ii. Sugar Preservatives Used in Pickles iii. Vinegar or Acetic Acid Preservatives are added to pickles iv. Spices so as to prevent or slow down the v. Edible Vegetable Oils growth of micro-organisms, such as moulds, yeasts and bacteria in food. Class – II Preservatives: Preservatives can inhibit, retard or i. Benzoic Acid – 250 ppm arrest the process of fermentation, (Maximum) or acidification or other deterioration of pickles. ii. Sulphur dioxide – 100 ppm (Maximum) Class – I Preservatives: - There is no limit specified Other Food Additives Permitted in Pickles Good manufacturing practices (GMP) should be followed by any Acidifying Agents manufacturing unit for the production. • Acetic Acid – GMP Thus the Class I Preservatives should be added in required, safe and • Citric Acid – GMP acceptable quantities for all users, • Malic Acid – GMP Pickle a Carcinogen as per WHO The World Health Organization has listed pickled vegetables as a possible carcinogen and the British Journal of Cancer released an online 2009 review of research on pickles as increasing the risks of oesophageal cancer. The report cites increases of cancer by about 100% in Chinese areas relying on pickled vegetables for nutrition. Results from the research is not conclusive it shows a significant association between consuming pickled vegetables and Oesophageal Cancer. 6 6 CONSUMER’S DIGEST OF CAI SEPTEMBER 2013 Firming Agent (1) Mango Calcium Chloride – 350 ppm 1. 777 Cut Mango Pickle without (Maximum) garlic (Tamil Nadu) Different Types of Pickles 2. Swastiks Cut Mango pickle (Karnataka) 9 Pickles in Lime Juice or Brine 3. Melam Kadu Mango Pickle 9 Pickles in Oil (Kerala) 9 Pickles in Vinegar 4. Ruchi Cut Mango Pickle (Karnataka) 9 Pickles without medium-means the pickles other than those 5. Chinni’s Cut Mango Pickle enumerated above. Such pickles (Karnataka) shall be labeled as “Name of 6. Mother’s Recipe – Cut Mango Vegetable or Fruit…….” Pickle. Pickle (Andhra Pradesh) COMPARATIVE TESTING 7. Vee.R.G Cut Mango Pickle (Khadi Comparative Testing is a formal Chennai) process by which products & services 8. Ravi’s Cut Mango (Tamil Nadu) of different vendors are tested for 9. Sakthi Cut Mango (Tamil Nadu) Quality; the services are tested for compliance to the regulations laid (2) Lemon out by the regulatory authorities for 1. Aachi Lime Pickle (Tamil Nadu) services. CONCERT is undertaking to 2. Mother’s Recipe Lime Pickle do this Comparative Testing for South (Andhra Pradesh) India under a grant from Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of 3. Happy Lime Pickle (Kerala) India. Concert is testing 7 products 4. MTR Lime Pickle (Karnataka) and 3 services. One of the products 5. Tasty Treat Lemon Pickle chosen for testing is Pickles. (Andhra Pradesh) PICKLES CHOSEN FOR TEST 6. Priya Lime Pickle in lime juice Pickles were procured from all the with garlic (Andhra Pradesh) five Southern states for testing and 7. Selvam Lemon Pickle are grouped as under: (Puduchery) 7 7 CONSUMER’S DIGEST OF CAI SEPTEMBER 2013 (3) Mixed Vegetable PACKAGING AND LABELLING 1. More Choice Pickle Mixed Suitable packing materials for pickles (Karnataka) are wide-mouthed glass jars and porcelain jars. All general label 2. Spencer’s Mixed Vegetable Pickle requirements of FS & S (Packing (Andhra Pradesh) and Labelling) Regulations, 2011 3. Nilon’s Classic Mixed Pickle are applicable to pickles. Pickles are (Tamil Nadu) exempted from furnishing Nutritional 4. Unbranded (Andhra Pradesh) Information on Label. (4) Fish The label on the pickle should contain the following information 1. Keya Mangalore Fish Pickle • Name of the product to be (Karnataka) mentioned on the label.