Author Topic: Calcium Chloride.  (Read 2557 times)

jwalker

  • Guest
Calcium Chloride.
« on: June 10, 2016, 04:03:06 PM »
Well , you learn something new everyday.

I was just doing some research on pickling recipes , as I have such a good crop of peppers coming along this year , I found out that Calcium Chloride is also sold as "Pickle Crisp" , and it is used for keeping your pickles crisp and crunchy as it adds Calcium.

I always have lots on hand for my cheese making , seems I will have another use for it this year.

Some of my pickled peppers did go kind of limp last year , so looking forward to trying it out.

Offline Al Lewis

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Port Orchard Washington
  • Posts: 3,285
  • Cheeses: 179
    • Lou's Food & Drink
Re: Calcium Chloride.
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2016, 05:58:02 PM »
Did it say how much to add?
Making the World a Safer Place, One Cheese at a Time! My Food Blog and Videos

Offline awakephd

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: North Carolina
  • Posts: 2,351
  • Cheeses: 240
  • compounding the benefits of a free press
Re: Calcium Chloride.
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2016, 08:35:41 PM »
Yes, I've been using Pickle Crisp as my source of Calcium Chloride. :)
-- Andy

jwalker

  • Guest
Re: Calcium Chloride.
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2016, 09:06:40 PM »
Did it say how much to add?

1/8 teaspoon for pints , 1/4 for quarts.

Not for fermented pickles though , it kills the fermenting bacteria.

I will be trying it this year.


jwalker

  • Guest
Re: Calcium Chloride.
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2016, 09:09:23 PM »
Yes, I've been using Pickle Crisp as my source of Calcium Chloride. :)

And all this time you've been keeping it a secret ! :o ;D

Offline awakephd

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: North Carolina
  • Posts: 2,351
  • Cheeses: 240
  • compounding the benefits of a free press
Re: Calcium Chloride.
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2016, 10:25:28 PM »
Not at all -- I've included it in several recipes/makes that I've posted. At least I think I have ...

I use 1/3 as much of the Pickle Crisp crystals as I would the 33% liquid - figuring that comes out somewhere in the same ball park. Of course, I dissolve this in a bit of boiled-and-cooled water before adding.
-- Andy

Offline Gregore

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Santa Barbara
  • Posts: 993
  • Cheeses: 43
  • Default personal text
Re: Calcium Chloride.
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2016, 01:25:00 PM »
For what ever reason raspberry leaf also keeps pickles crisp  :)

Don't think it would work in cheese though :(

john H

  • Guest
Re: Calcium Chloride.
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2016, 01:31:56 PM »
Did it say how much to add?

1/8 teaspoon for pints , 1/4 for quarts.

Not for fermented pickles though , it kills the fermenting bacteria.

I will be trying it this year.

I have used Calcium chloride with out an issue. malolactic enzyme is sensitive though to temperature as well as sulphites in wine making.

https://fbns.ncsu.edu/USDAARS/Acrobatpubs/P376-400/p380.pdf

Starts on page 843 bottom of the left column

Cucumber Fermentations
In the United States, commercial cucumber (Cucumis
sativus) fermentations are commonly done in 30,000- to
40,000-liter, open-top, fiberglass tanks that are located
out-of-doors so the brine surface is exposed to sunlight.
The UV radiation in sunlight is relied upon to kill aerobic
surface yeasts that can metabolize lactic acid produced
by the fermentation. Cucumbers are covered with
salt brine and held below the brine surface with wooden
headboards. Fermentations are typically carried out in
brine equilibrated at about 6% NaCl. Calcium chloride
(0.1 to 0.4%, equilibrated) is added to the cover brine to
maintain the firm, crisp texture of the fermented cucumbers
during fermentation and storage (35). Cucumber
fermentations typically undergo a homolactic acid fermentation,
which does not result in production of carbon
dioxide from sugars (glucose and fructose, about
1% each). However, carbon dioxide may be generated
from the respiration of cucumbers and by the decarboxylation
of malate during the initiation of fermentation
(75). Some LAB have an inducible malolactic enzyme
that converts malate to lactate and carbon dioxide. The
malolactic enzyme reaction occurs intracellularly and
results in the uptake of a proton, thereby increasing
the internal cell pH. While it is a desirable reaction in
winemaking (used for de-acidifying wines), malolactic
fermentation in cucumbers may result in the creation of
“bloaters,” or fermented cucumbers with undesired internal
gas pockets, decreasing the production yield. In
an effort to prevent bloater formation, cucumber fermentations
are purged with air to remove excess carbon
dioxide from the tank (17). Potassium sorbate (~0.04%)
or 0.16% acetic acid can be used as processing aids to
limit the growth of aerobic microorganisms in air-purged
cucumber fermentations, particularly molds and yeasts
(42). Excessive growth of aerobic microorganisms may
also be controlled by stopping air purging for several
hours each day. After fermentation by Lb. plantarum
and related LAB, cucumbers may be stored in the fermentation
tanks for 1 year or more. In areas where the
temperature decreases to below 0°C, the concentration
of NaCl is often increased during storage to as high as 10
to 15% to minimize freezing damage and maintain the
desirable texture of fermented cucumbers. Prior to sale,
cucumbers are washed to remove excess salt and then
packed in a variety of containers (plastic pails, pouches,
jars) with an appropriate cover liquor. The cover liquor
typically contains acetic acid and spices in addition to
residual lactic acid. Fermented pickles may be pasteurized,
but large containers are not heat treated. Further
microbial growth is prevented by the organic acids, low
pH, and lack of fermentable sugars.
Most commercial cucumber fermentations rely upon
growth of the LAB that are naturally present on the surface
of cucumbers. However, some processors choose to
use starter cultures to enhance product consistency. A
commercial starter culture of Lb. plantarum that does