Sauerkraut

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For uncut fermented cabbage, see whole sour cabbage.

German sauerkraut
Sauerkraut (/'sa?.?rkra?t/; German: ['za???k?a?t] (About this sound listen)) is
finely cut cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria.[1][2]
It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from
the lactic acid that forms when the bacteria ferment the sugars in the cabbage.[3]
[4]

Contents
1 Overview
2 Production
3 Regional varieties
4 Health effects
4.1 Benefits
4.2 Disadvantages
4.3 CRISPR Discovery
5 Similar foods
6 See also
7 References
8 Bibliography
9 External links
Overview

Polish kiszona kapusta

Fermented foods have a long history in many cultures, with sauerkraut being one of
the most well-known instances of traditional fermented moist cabbage side dishes.
[5] The Roman writers Cato (in his De Agri Cultura) and Columella (in his De re
Rustica) mentioned preserving cabbages and turnips with salt.

Sauerkraut took root mostly in Central and Eastern European cuisines, but also in
other countries including the Netherlands, where it is known as zuurkool, and
France, where the name became choucroute.[6] The English name is borrowed from
German where it means literally "sour herb" or "sour cabbage".[7] The names in
Slavic and other Central and Eastern European languages have similar meanings with
the German word: "fermented cabbage" (Belarusian: ???????? ???????, Czech: kysan�
zel�, Polish: kiszona kapusta or kwaszona kapusta, Lithuanian: rauginti kopustai,
Russian: ???????? ???????, tr. kvashenaya kapusta, Ukrainian: ??????? ???????) or
"sour cabbage" (Bulgarian: ?????? ????, Croatian: kiselo zelje, Czech: kysel� zel�,
Hungarian: savany�k�poszta, Latvian: skabeti kaposti, Romanian: varza murata,
Albanian: lak�r turshiRussian: ?????? ???????, tr. kislaya kapusta, Serbian: kiseli
kupus, Slovak: kysl� kapusta, Slovene: kislo zelje, Ukrainian: ????? ???????,
Estonian: hapukapsas).[8]

Before frozen foods, refrigeration, and cheap transport from warmer areas became
readily available in northern, central and eastern Europe, sauerkraut, like other
preserved foods, provided a source of nutrients during the winter. James Cook
always took a store of sauerkraut on his sea voyages, since experience had taught
him it prevented scurvy.[9][10]

The word "Kraut", derived from this food, is a derogatory term for the German
people.[11] During World War I, due to concerns the American public would reject a
product with a German name, American sauerkraut makers relabeled their product as
"Liberty cabbage" for the duration of the war.[12]

Production
Homemade sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is made by a process of pickling called lactic acid fermentation that is
analogous to how traditional (not heat-treated) pickled cucumbers and kimchi are
made. The cabbage is finely shredded, layered with salt, and left to ferment. Fully
cured sauerkraut keeps for several months in an airtight container stored at 15 �C
(60 �F) or below. Neither refrigeration nor pasteurization is required, although
these treatments prolong storage life.

Fermentation by lactobacilli is introduced naturally, as these air-borne bacteria

culture on raw cabbage leaves where they grow. Yeasts also are present, and may
yield soft sauerkraut of poor flavor when the fermentation temperature is too high.
The fermentation process has three phases, collectively sometimes referred to as
population dynamics. In the first phase, anaerobic bacteria such as Klebsiella and
Enterobacter lead the fermentation, and begin producing an acidic environment that
favors later bacteria. The second phase starts as the acid levels become too high
for many bacteria, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides and other Leuconostoc spp. take
dominance. In the third phase, various Lactobacillus species, including L. brevis
and L. plantarum, ferment any remaining sugars, further lowering the pH.[13]
Properly cured sauerkraut is sufficiently acidic to prevent a favorable environment
for the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the toxins of which cause botulism.[1][2]

A 2004 genomic study found an unexpectedly large diversity of lactic acid bacteria
in sauerkraut, and that previous studies had oversimplified this diversity.
Weissella was found to be a major organism in the initial, heterofermentative
stage, up to day 7. It was also found that Lactobacillus brevis and Pediococcus
pentosaceus had smaller population numbers in the first 14 days than previous
studies had reported.[14]

The Dutch sauerkraut industry found that inoculating a new batch of sauerkraut with
an old batch resulted in an excessively sour product. This sourdough process is
known as "backslopping" or "inoculum enrichment"; when used in making sauerkraut,
first- and second-stage population dynamics, important to developing flavor, are
bypassed. This is due primarily to the greater initial activity of species L.
plantarum.[15]

Regional varieties

Eastern European style sauerkraut pickled with carrots and served as a salad
In Belarusian, Polish, Russian, Baltic country and Ukrainian cuisine, chopped
cabbage is often pickled together with shredded carrots. Other ingredients may
include whole or quartered apples for additional flavor or cranberry for flavor and
better keeping (the benzoic acid in cranberries is a common preservative). Bell
peppers and beets are added in some recipes for colour. The resulting sauerkraut
salad is typically served cold, as a zakuski or a side dish. There is also a home
made type of very mild sauerkraut where white cabbage is pickled with salt in a
refrigerator for only between three and seven days. This results in very little
lactic acid being produced. Sometimes in Russia the double fermentation is used,
with the initial step producing an exceptionally sour product, which is then
"corrected" by adding 30-50% more fresh cabbage and fermenting the mix again. The
flavor additives like apples, beets, cranberries and sometimes even watermelons are
usually introduced at this step.

Sauerkraut may be used as a filling for Polish pierogi, Ukrainian varenyky, Russian
pirogi and pirozhki.[16] Sauerkraut is also the central ingredient in traditional
soups, such as shchi (a national dish of Russia), kwasnica (Poland), kapustnica
(Slovakia), and zelnacka (Czech Republic). It is an ingredient of Polish bigos (a
hunter's stew). [1]
In Germany, cooked sauerkraut is often flavored with juniper berries[17] or caraway
seeds; apples and white wine are added in popular variations. Traditionally it is
served warm, with pork (e.g. eisbein, schweinshaxe, Kassler) or sausages (smoked or
fried sausages, Frankfurter W�rstchen, Vienna sausages, black pudding), accompanied
typically by roasted or steamed potatoes or dumplings (kn�del or schupfnudel).[18]
Similar recipes are common in other Central European cuisines. The Czech national
dish vepro knedlo zelo consists of roast pork with knedliky and sauerkraut.

In France, sauerkraut is the main ingredient of the Alsatian meal choucroute garnie
(French for "dressed sauerkraut"), sauerkraut with sausages (Strasbourg sausages,
smoked Morteau or Montb�liard sausages), charcuterie (bacon, ham, etc.), and often
potatoes.

Sauerkraut, along with pork, is eaten traditionally in Pennsylvania on New Year's

Day. The tradition, started by the Pennsylvania Dutch, is thought to bring good
luck for the upcoming year.[19] Sauerkraut is also used in American cuisine as a
condiment upon various foods, such as sandwiches and hot dogs.[3][4][20]

Cooked sauerkraut

Dutch stamppot includes sauerkraut (zuurkool) mashed with potatoes

Pierogi with sauerkraut

Kapusniak made with sauerkraut

Central European-style sauerkraut and sausages is a popular snack dish in pubs

Czech Vepro-knedlo-zelo

Pickled Eisbein served with sauerkraut

Alsacian Choucroute garnie

Health effects
Benefits
Sauerkraut (including liquid)
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 78 kJ (19 kcal)
Carbohydrates
4.3 g
Sugars 1.8 g
Dietary fiber 2.9 g
Fat
0.14 g
Protein
0.9 g
Vitamins
Vitamin B6 (10%) 0.13 mg
Vitamin C (18%) 15 mg
Minerals
Iron (12%) 1.5 mg
Sodium (44%) 661 mg
Other constituents
Water 92 g
Units
�g = micrograms � mg = milligrams
IU = International units
Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient Database
Many health benefits have been claimed for sauerkraut:

It is a source of vitamins B, C, and K;[21] the fermentation process increases the

bioavailability of nutrients rendering sauerkraut even more nutritious than the
original cabbage.[22] It is also low in calories and high in calcium and magnesium,
and it is a very good source of dietary fiber, folate, iron, potassium, copper and
manganese.[21]
If unpasteurized and uncooked, sauerkraut also contains live lactobacilli and
beneficial microbes and is rich in enzymes. The fiber and supply of probiotics
improve digestion and promote the growth of healthy bowel flora, protecting against
many diseases of the digestive tract.[22][23]
During the American Civil War, the physician John Jay Terrell (1829�1922)[24][25]
was able to successfully reduce the death rate from disease among prisoners of war:
He attributed this to feeding his patients raw sauerkraut.[26]
Sauerkraut is a time-honored folk remedy for canker sores. It is used by rinsing
the mouth with sauerkraut juice for about 30 seconds several times a day, or by
placing a wad of sauerkraut against the affected area for a minute or so before
chewing and swallowing the kraut.[27]
The October 23, 2002 issue of the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry
reported that Finnish researchers found the isothiocyanates produced in sauerkraut
fermentation inhibit the growth of cancer cells in test tube and animal studies.
[28] A Polish study in 2010 concluded that "... induction of the key detoxifying
enzymes by cabbage juices, particularly sauerkraut, may be responsible for their
chemopreventive activity demonstrated by epidemiological studies and in animal
models".[29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36]
Sauerkraut is high in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, both associated with
preserving ocular health.[37]
Disadvantages
Excessive consumption of sauerkraut may lead to bloating and flatulence due to the
trisaccharide raffinose, which the human small intestine cannot break down.[38]

CRISPR Discovery
Interestingly, one of the early scientists who were involved in identifying the
biology and function of CRISPR, Philippe Horvath, focussed on the genetics of a
lactic-acid bacteria used in the production of sauerkraut.[39]

Similar foods
Many other vegetables are preserved by a similar process:

Kapusta kiszona in Poland

Encurtido in Nicaragua
Atsara in the Philippines
Curtido in El Salvador
Dill pickles in eastern and central Europe
Kimchi in Korea
Kiseli kupus in Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia
?????? ???? in Bulgaria
Silage, a feed for cattle
Suan cai in northeastern China
Tsukemono in Japan
Brovada in Northern Italy
See also
icon Food portal
Foods containing tyramine
List of ancient dishes and foods
List of cabbage dishes
List of fermented foods
References
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8493-1372-4.
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The German for cabbage is Kohl, while Kraut means "herb". However the latter also
means cabbage in such words as Sauerkraut, Wei�kraut (white cabbage) etc.
"Sauerkraut - Sauerkraut Is the Quintessential Eastern European Vegetable - all
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see http://www.mariner.org/exploration/index.php?type=webpage&id=55 / What did
they eat? which begins "One of Cook's most important discoveries..." and
http://www.vitamindeficiency.info/?page_id=9 which additionally mentions "...citrus
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Saloheimo P (2005). "[Captain Cook used sauerkraut to prevent scurvy]". Duodecim
(in Finnish). 121 (9): 1014�5. PMID 15991750.
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attrib. and Comb. 2. (Often with capital initial.) A German, esp. a German soldier.
Also attrib. and Comb. Derogatory."
"Sauerkraut may be 'Liberty Cabbage'". The New York Times. 1918-04-25. Retrieved
2011-01-16.
The pH of completely cured sauerkraut is about 3.6; see Belitz, H.-D.; Grosch,
Werner; Schieberle, Peter (2009). Food Chemistry (4th Edition). Springer. p. 803.
ISBN 9783540699330.
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Molecular Ecology of Sauerkraut Fermentations" (PDF). Journal of Food Science. 69
(1): 30�33. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.2004.tb17874.x. Archived from the original
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"Pierogi � the best guide to the most popular Polish food".
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Retrieved 2013-01-01.
Allergy Cuisine: Step by Step - Sylvia Ross. p. 94
"Nutrition Facts". Retrieved 11 June 2015.
Lipski, Elizabeth (2013). "6". Digestion Connection: The Simple, Natural Plan to
Combat Diabetes, Heart Disease, Osteoporosis, Arthritis, Acid Reflux--And More!.
Rodale. p. 63. ISBN 978-1609619459.
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Haggard, Robert F (1998). "Samuel Miller and the Founding of the Miller School of
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Katz, Sandor Ellix (2003). Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of
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External links
Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on
Sauerkraut
Look up sauerkraut in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sauerkraut.
Laboratory Exercise in Sauerkraut Fermentation
Fermenting food since before H. sapiens appeared. The American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition
Crunchy pickled cabbage: video-tutorial
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