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How do I? ...Ferment

Causes and Possible Solutions for Problems with

Fermented Pickles

Problem Cause Prevention

Soft or slippery pickles. 1. Salt brine too weak 1. Maintain salt concentration
(If spoilage is evident, during fermentation. specified in recipe.
do not eat.)
2. Cucumbers stored at too 2. Store fermenting
high a temperature during cucumbers between 70° and
fermentation. 75°F. This is the optimum
temperature for growth of
the organisms necessary for
fermentation.
3. Insufficient amount of 3. Keep cucumbers
brine. immersed in the brine.
4. Pickles not processed 4. Process pickles in canner
properly (to destroy after filling jars.
microorganisms).
5. Moldy garlic or spices. 5. Always use fresh spices.
6. Blossom ends not 6. Slice at least 1/16th inch
removed from cucumbers. off blossom end of
cucumbers and discard.
Strong, bitter taste 1. Spices cooked too long 1. Follow directions for
in vinegar, or too many amount of spices to use and
spices used. the boiling time.
2. Vinegar too strong. 2. Use vinegar of the proper
strength (5% acidity).
3. Dry weather. 3. No prevention. Bitter taste
is usually in the peel or skin
of fruits and vegetables.
4. Using salt substitutes. 4. Potassium chloride, the
ingredient in most of these,
causes bitterness.

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Problem
Hollow Pickles
Shriveled Pickles
Scum on the brine
surfaces while curing
cucumbers.
Dark or discolored
pickles. (If brass,
copper or zinc utensils
and brining equipment
were used, do not use
pickles.)
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https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/fermentproblems.html
Cause Prevention
1. Cucumbers too large for 1. Use smaller cucumbers for
brining. brining.
2. Improper fermentation. 2. Keep brine proper
strength and the product well
covered. Cure until
fermentation is complete.
3. Long lapse of time 3. Fermentation process
between harvest and should be started within 24
brining. hours after harvesting
cucumbers.
4. Growth defect of 4. None. During washing,
cucumber. hollow cucumbers usually
float. Remove and use for
relishes instead of fermented
pickles.
1. Placing cucumbers in too 1. Follow a reliable recipe.
strong brine, too heavy Use amounts of salt and
syrup, or too strong sugar called for in a recipe,
vinegar. and vinegar that is 5%
acidity.
2. Long lapse of time 2. Brine (start fermentation)
between harvest and within 24 hours after
brining. harvesting cucumbers.
3. Overcooking or 3. Follow a reliable recipe
overprocessing. exactly.
4. Dry weather. 4. No prevention. Bitter taste
is usually in the peel or skin
of fruits and vegetables.
1. Wild yeasts and bacteria 1. Remove scum as often as
that feed on the acid thus needed.
reducing the concentration
if allowed to accumulate.
1. Minerals in hard water. 1. Use soft water.
2. Ground spices used. 2. Use whole spices.
3. Spices left in jars of 3. Place spices loosely in
pickles. cheesecloth bag so they can
be removed before canning.
4. Brass, iron, copper or 4. Use food-grade unchipped
zinc utensils used. enamelware, glass, stainless
steel, or stoneware utensils.
5. Iodized salt used. 5. Use canning or pickling
salt.
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National Center for Home Food Preservation | How Do I? Can https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/fermentproblems.html

Problem Cause Prevention

Spotted, dull, or faded 1. Cucumbers not well 1. Use brine of proper
color cured (brined). concentration. Complete
fermentation process.
2. Excessive exposure to 2. Store processed jars in a
light. dark, dry cool place.
3. Cucumber of poor 3. Use produce of optimum
quality. quality, and grown under
proper conditions (weather,
soil, etc.)
White sediment in jar. 1. Bacteria cause this 1. None.
during fermentation.
2. Salt contains an anti- 2. Use canning or pickling
caking agent or other salt.
additives.
For problems with jar seals, and other general canned food problems, see
Causes and Possible Solutions for Problems with Canned Foods.

This document was adapted from "So Easy to Preserve", 6th ed. 2014. Bulletin 989,
Cooperative Extension Service, The University of Georgia, Athens. Revised by
Elizabeth L. Andress. Ph.D. and Judy A. Harrison, Ph.D., Extension Foods
Specialists.

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