What You Need to Know
Salt draws water from the substrate, creating an osmotic environment that favors halophilic lactic‑acid bacteria. These microbes metabolize sugars to lactic acid and also produce acetic acid, hydrogen sulfide and phenolic volatiles, lowering pH to 3.5–4.5 and inhibiting spoilage organisms. Controlled temperature (20–25 °C for fermentation, refrigeration thereafter) and adequate acidity prevent growth of pathogens such as Clostridium botulinum.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Lactobacillus‑mediated conversion of carbohydrate sugars to lactic acid (C6H12O6 → 2 C3H6O3) and subsequent acetic‑acid formation.