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EXERCISE 4

Pickled Carrots and Radish

I. Introduction

Vegetables and fruits account for almost half of the global food waste, thus, there is an
increase in interest in processing them into more usable forms and pickling is one of them
(Dan, 2019). Although it is not new, pickling vegetables is one of the most used methods to
preserve vegetables for extended periods. There are two methods of vegetable pickling: lactic
acid fermentation and preservation in acetic acid or vinegar (Stankus, 2014). The latter is the
most widely employed method. Its principal preservative action involves the increase in
acidity (reduced pH), the addition of salt and sugar, and the reduction of moisture (FAO, n.
d.). These ultimately contribute to the inhibition of spoilage microorganisms. Besides
extending shelf lives, pickling also contributes to desirable changes in sensory attributes such
as appearance, flavor, and texture, and nutritional value of vegetables (Behera et al., 2020;
Montaño et al., 2016).

Vegetables for pickling must possess good pickling characteristics. Oftentimes,

vegetable varieties of regular form and firm texture are found most suitable for pickling
(Uthpala et al., 2018). Carrots and radish are two of the most important crops commonly
grown in the Philippine highlands that possess these characteristics. Thus, in this exercise,
these vegetables were pickled using a sugar-vinegar solution to achieve the following:

1. evaluate and discuss the sensory attributes of the pickled carrots and radish;
2. discuss the preservation method/s used in pickling; and
3. identify the differences between pickling vegetables and pickling fruits;

II. Methodology

Preparation of Materials

Listed in table 1 are the materials used in preparation for the pickling of carrots and
radish.

Table 1. List of materials used in the pickling of vegetables.

Materials
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1 large carrot Chopping board

1 medium radish Tongs
½ tbsp salt Kitchen knife
½ cup sugar Strainer
1 cup rice vinegar Measuring cups
500 L glass jar with lid Cooking pot

Sterilization of Glass Jar

For the sterilization of the glass jar, the boiling method was employed. The glass jar
was first precleaned with hot soapy water and was thoroughly rinsed with tap water. It was
then put in a pot and covered with water and was brought to a boil. It was simmered for 10
min at a low rolling boil. The metal lid was sterilized for only 5 min as longer durations
would damage the sticky sealant of the jar. Afterwhich, it was allowed to dry in a covered
clean pot.

Preparation of Pickled Carrots and Radish

The pickling solution was made by dissolving the white sugar in vinegar in a cooking
pot at medium heat. It was set aside after the liquid became clear. The carrots and radish were
then prepared by washing them clean first, followed by slicing them in thin long strips
(approx. 1 mm thick). They were then mixed, sprinkled with salt, mixed once again, and
soaked for 5 min. Afterwhich, the vegetables were hand-squeezed to remove the excess
moisture. They were then transferred into the sterilized glass jar, followed by the addition of
the pickling solution. Right after pickling, the appearance, taste, and texture (mouthfeel) of
the pickles were evaluated. It was stored at room temperature for 7d. The jar is slightly
loosened on the first day to avoid bursting. After storage, it was reevaluated for the same
sensory attributes.

Sterilization Washing Solution Preparation

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Canning Squeezing Salting & Slicing

Sensory Evaluation

Fig. 1. Process flow of preparing pickled carrot and radish.

III. Results and Discussion

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Table 2 shows the sensory attributes of the pickled carrots and radish at days 0 and 7.

Table 2. Sensory attributes of the pickled carrots and radish at day 0 and day 7.
Product Sensory Attributes
Day 0 Day 7

Appearance Orange and white Less orange

Clear solution Some are less white
Some slightly yellowish
white
Slightly colored solution
(still clear)
Taste Sweet and sour Sweet and sour
Natural carrot flavor is Loss of carrot flavor (still
retained perceivable)
Radish flavor is not retained Radish flavor is not retained
Texture Crunchy and firm Crunchy and firm

Changes in sensory attributes of the pickled product are not found to significantly
differ based on actual observation. However, there are slight changes observed in the
appearance and taste of the pickles. After seven days, the colors of pickles seem to be less
pronounced. Some radish pickles also have a slight yellow color. There is also slight
coloration in the pickling solution. The taste of pickles at day 0 and day 7 are almost the
same, only that the natural flavors of carrots at day 7 are not as emphasized as that at day 0.
Whereas the texture remained crunchy and firm.

Sensory Attributes of the Pickled Product

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The right blending of organic acids, salt, and sugar with vegetables gives a crisp, firm
texture, and tangy sweet and sour flavor. These characteristics are well exhibited by the
pickled carrots and radish. This goes to show that the pickled product in this exercise is of
good quality. Good pickles are found to be high in crunchiness or crispness. The addition of
unrefined salt contributes to the crispness of the product as salt contains calcium and
magnesium, which reinforce naturally occurring pectins in the cell walls of vegetables
keeping the texture of the pickles firm (Patel, 2019).

The sweet and sour flavors of the pickle come from the sugar-vinegar solution. The
loss of the natural flavors can be attributed to the hardness of the vegetable. Radish is less
hard than carrots, making it easy for the acid to penetrate the vegetable, mask its natural
flavor, and make it sour. Whereas, carrots are high in hardness. A study by Lim et al. (2018)
investigated the correlation between hardness of carrots and boiling and results showed that
they are negatively correlated. Thus, merely adding boiled vinegar solution would not easily
weaken the rigidity of the cell walls of carrots, making it more difficult for the acids to
penetrate the said vegetable. This explains why carrots have a higher flavor retention
compared to the radish. Loss of carrot flavor after seven days may be attributed to increased
penetration of acids into the vegetables, leading to the dissolution of flavor compounds into
the pickling solution. But, this is said to be normal because pickles are expected to have a
dominant sweet and sour taste. In this case, loss of natural vegetable flavors cannot be
considered an important factor that affects the sensory quality of the pickled product.

The slight coloration of the pickling solution might be due to the transfer of color
pigments from the vegetables to the solution as it is also observed that the colors of carrots
and radish have become less pronounced after seven days (Vatansever et al., 2017). The
characteristic orange color of carrots is attributed to their rich carotenoid content. Studies
have reported that carotenoid levels decreased after the addition of just boiled vinegar brine
(da Silva et al., 2016; Zhang and Hamauzu, 2004). This occurs because high levels of acids
can cause trans-isomerization of carotenoids, which promotes a slight loss of color
(Mezzomo and Ferreira, 2016). This confirms the loss of carrot color in this exercise. For
radish, they contain anthoxanthins which turn from white or colorless to yellow as the pH
increases (Guider et al., 1995). The slightly yellowish white color of some radish pickles
suggests that the pH of the solution has somehow increased after seven days. This change,
however, is not observed to impart any undesirable sensory qualities since the color retention
of pickles is still visibly high and no discoloration of any sort is observed.
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Pickling as a Form of Preservation

In pickling, vegetables are preserved primarily by the high level of acidity. There are
two methods of pickling vegetables: lactic acid fermentation and preservation using edible
acids. The latter is the most common method for pickling vegetables. It is also used in this
exercise. Boiled vinegar brine when added to vegetables destroys the natural culture and rich
enzymes. The acidic nature of the vinegar solution is primarily responsible for the
preservative action (Barrett, 2003). In this method, no fermentation is involved to produce
acids since acids are basically added to induce changes in pH. Reduction in pH via the
introduction of acids results in the inhibition of spoilage microorganisms that are generally
vulnerable to acidic environments (Chakraborty and Roy, 2018). Furthermore, the addition of
salt before immersing the vegetables in the acid solution aids in releasing the intracellular
water from the vegetable matter (Stankus, 2014). This action reduces the moisture content of
the vegetables. This reduction is furthered by the addition of a significant amount of sugar in
the acid solution which causes osmotic dehydration (Yadav and Singh, 2014). Pickling using
a sugar-vinegar solution reduces both pH and moisture content, ultimately retarding the
growth of spoilage microorganisms, thereby decreasing the risks of spoilage.

Difference Between Fruit Pickling and Vegetable Pickling

The differences between fruit pickling and vegetable pickling can be linked to the
sugar content and the nature of raw materials used. In pickling vegetables, vinegar is most
commonly used (Stankus, 2014), which means that no fermentation is involved in their
preservation. While in pickling fruits, the lactic-acid fermentation process is usually induced.
This could be attributed to the relatively higher sugar content of fruits (compared to
vegetables) since lactic acid bacteria thrives better in a pickling system with more sugars in it
(Sawada et al., 2021). So it is better to take advantage of this property of fruits by subjecting
them to a lactic-acid fermentation pickling.

Most raw vegetables have relatively firmer and compact texture compared to most
fruits and vinegar pickling favors plant materials possessing these characteristics (Uthpala et
al., 2018). This explains why it is more suitable for vegetables to be pickled in vinegar.
Vegetables can also be fermented, however, fermentation does not apply to all vegetables,
making vinegar pickling an even more appropriate method.

IV. Conclusion and Recommendations

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The vinegar pickling of vegetables was a success in this exercise. The sensory
attributes of the pickled carrots and radish are also acceptable. The loss of carrot color and
yellowing of radish after storage are both linked to the natural changes that occur to
carotenoids and anthoxanthins respectively during processing and storage. Still, color
retention is perceived high. The pickles exhibited good textural and taste properties for
having been in conjunction with the standard sensory attributes of pickles that are firm and
sweet and sour. No problem was encountered in this exercise, but it is still recommended to
find acid alternatives that would bring out the best quality of pickled products.

References
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Dan (2019). Food trends reducing food waste. Retrieved on April 18, 2019, from
https://www.danielanthes.com/en/foodlovetrends/
FAO (n. d.). Pickles. Retrieved on April 18, 2021, from
http://www.fao.org/3/au116e/au116e.pdf
Stankus, T. (2014). Pickled vegetable condiments: a global industry and its literature. Journal
of Agricultural & Food Information, 15(1), 3-18.
Montaño, A., Sanchez, A.H., Beato, V.M., Lopez, A., de Castro, A. (2016). Pickling.
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Behera, S. S., El Sheikha, A. F., Hammami, R., & Kumar, A. (2020). Traditionally fermented
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Uthpala, T. G. G., Marapana, R. A. U. J., & Jayawardana, S. A. S. (2018). Sensory quality
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Barrett, D. M. (2003). Pickling.Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition (Second
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da Silva, M. B., Rodrigues, L. F. O. S., Rossi, T. C., de Souza Vieira, M. C., Minatel, I. O., &
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Sawada, K., Koyano, H., Yamamoto, N., & Yamada, T. (2021). The relationships between
microbiota and the amino acids and organic acids in commercial vegetable pickle
fermented in rice-bran beds. Scientific reports, 11(1), 1-10.