Malic Acid Degradation and Brined Cucumber Bloating

Bloater formation of brined cucumbers increased as more malic acid was degraded to CO 2 and lactic acid. CO 2 production by the brined cucumber, unrelated to malic acid degradation, was 12.5 mM. This was just sufficient to bring cucumbers to the point of bloating. CO 2 from malic acid provided the marginal increase required to cause significant bloating. Fermentation with a strain of Lactobacillus plantarum , which did not degrade malic acid, prevented cucumber bloating. Oxygen exchange of cucumbers before brining increased the amount of CO 2 required to initiate bloating damage by 8 mM. Nonmalic acid‐degrading starter cultures and/or oxygen exchange may be useful alternatives to CO 2 purging from brines to prevent bloater damage.