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Title Traditional Sour Cabbage – An Ancient Probiotic Food from Wallachian Plain |
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Type Poster Presentation |
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Theme Probiotics and Prebiotics: Excellence in Science and Clinical Translation |
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Topic Development of Probiotic and Prebiotic Foods, Medical Foods, Supplements and Drugs |
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Main Author Alexandru Ciric1 |
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Presenting Author Alexandru Ciric1 |
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Co-Author Mihaela Begea1 Alexandru Moisac1 Daniela Vacaru |
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Department / Institution / Country Biotechnical Systems / University Politehnica of Bucharest / Romania (România)1 |
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Background and Rationale Sour cabbage is considered to be part of the Romanian traditional meal, especially in the cold season. Consumed slightly prepared or as a side-dish, its production is currently divided between small home-made quantities and large industrial production batches. Considered having “miraculous” benefits for GI tract, both the sour cabbage and the brine resulting from the process are often consumed as a universal treatment – from “healing” simple GI disorders to treating symptoms of irritable colon. |
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Objectives: Indicates the purpose of the study The study aimed to identify the microbiota involved in the natural fermentation process and to prove the probiotic character of this traditional product. |
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Methodology: Describe pertinent experimental procedures The experiment focused on the natural fermentation of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var.capitata f.alba – hybrid Buzaiana) cultivated in Wallachian Plain, in a sour cabbage production plant. The microbiota of the product was analyzed in each of the four fermentation stages. The fermentation was made traditionally, without using any other ingredients but salt. Samples of brine and cabbage were analyzed in each fermentation step for TC, enterobacteriaceae, Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and the lactobacilli found were identified using API50CH strips. |
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Results: Summarize the results of the research The first stage is characterized by the decrease of the TC value, due to respiration of the plant material and the consumption of oxygen by facultative anaerobic enterobacteria. In the second stage, the characteristic microorganism is Leuconostoc mesenteroides. The third stage was a homofermentation. Both in third and fourth stages colonies of Lactabacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis were identified at a total maximum number of lactobacilli of 5x105 CFU/ml |
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Conclusions: State the main conclusions Even if two species of probiotic lactobacilli were found during this preliminary experiments, more identifications work needs to be performed. The study of the fermentation substrate lead also to the presumption that one of the saccharides extracted from the fresh cabbage has an important role in the development of lactobacilli in the brine. |