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Sauerkraut (; , "sour cabbage") is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the
lactic acid Lactic acid is an organic acid. It has a molecular formula . It is white in the solid state and it is miscible with water. When in the dissolved state, it forms a colorless solution. Production includes both artificial synthesis as well as nat ...
formed when the bacteria ferment the sugars in the cabbage leaves.Gil Marks
Encyclopedia of Jewish Food
p. 1052.
Joseph Mercola, Brian Vaszily, Kendra Pearsall, Nancy Lee Bentley
Dr. Mercola's Total Health Cookbook & Program
p. 227.
It is one of the best-known national dishes in
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
. Although in English-speaking countries it is known under its German name, it is also widely known in Eastern Europe and other places (see below). For example, in
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...
, () 'sour cabbage' or () 'fermented cabbage' has been a traditional and ubiquitous dish from ancient times.


Overview and history

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. The
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...
writers Cato (in his '' De Agri Cultura'') and Columella (in his '' De re Rustica'') mentioned preserving cabbages and turnips with salt. Although "sauerkraut" is from a German word (''Sauerkraut''), the dish did not originate in Germany. Some claim fermenting cabbage '' suan cai'' was already practised in the days of the building of the Great Wall of China and that the practice was likely transmitted from China to Europe by the Tartars. However, the Romans, as previously noted, pickled forms of cabbage, and were the more likely source of modern-day sauerkraut It then took root in
Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...
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''. The English name is borrowed from German where it means "sour cabbage". The names in Slavic and other Central and Eastern European languages have similar meanings with the German word: "fermented cabbage" ( sq, lakër turshi, az, kələm turşusu, be, квашаная капуста, cs, kysané zelí, lt, rauginti kopūstai, rus, квашеная капуста, kvašenaja kapusta, Turkısh: lahana turşusu, ro, varză murată, Persian: kalam torş, uk, квашена капуста) or "sour cabbage" ( bg, кисело зеле, et, hapukapsas, fi, hapankaali, hu, savanyúkáposzta, lv, skābēti kāposti, mk, расол / кисела зелка, pl, kapusta kiszona, rus, кислая капуста, kislaya kapusta, sh-Cyrl-Latn, кисели купус / кисело зелје, kiseli kupus / kiselo zelje, sk, kyslá kapusta, sl, kislo zelje, uk, кисла капуста, ''kysla kapusta''). Before frozen foods, refrigeration, and cheap transport from warmer areas became readily available in
Northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a r ...
,
Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...
, and Eastern Europe, sauerkraut – like other preserved foods – provided a source of nutrients during the winter. Captain James Cook always took a store of sauerkraut on his sea voyages, since experience had taught him it prevented
scurvy Scurvy is a deficiency disease, disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Early symptoms of deficiency include weakness, feeling tired and sore arms and legs. Without treatment, anemia, decreased red blood cells, gum disease, ch ...
. The word "'' Kraut''", derived from this food, is a derogatory term for the German people. During
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, 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.New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
Article">


Production

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 The ''Lactobacillaceae'' are a family of lactic acid bacteria. It is the only family in the lactic acid bacteria which includes homofermentative and heterofermentative organisms; in the ''Lactobacillaceae,'' the pathway used for hexose fermentati ...
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 ''Klebsiella'' is a genus of Gram-negative, oxidase-negative, rod-shaped bacteria with a prominent polysaccharide-based capsule. ''Klebsiella'' species are found everywhere in nature. This is thought to be due to distinct sublineages devel ...
'' and ''
Enterobacter ''Enterobacter'' is a genus of common Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. It is the type genus of the order Enterobacterales. Several strains of these bacteria are ...
'' 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'' species take dominance. In the third phase, various ''Lactobacillus'' species, including '' L. brevis'' and '' L. plantarum'', ferment any remaining sugars, further lowering the pH. Properly cured sauerkraut is sufficiently acidic to prevent a favorable environment for the growth of '' Clostridium botulinum'', the toxins of which cause botulism. A 2004 genomic study found an unexpectedly large diversity of lactic acid bacteria in sauerkraut, and that previous studies had oversimplified this diversity. ''
Weissella ''Weissella'' is a genus of gram-positive bacteria placed within the family Lactobacillaceae, formerly considered species of the ''Leuconostoc paramesenteroides'' group. The morphology of ''Weissella'' species varies from spherical or lenticul ...
'' 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. 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''.


Regional varieties

In
Azerbaijani Azerbaijani may refer to: * Something of, or related to Azerbaijan * Azerbaijanis * Azerbaijani language See also * Azerbaijan (disambiguation) * Azeri (disambiguation) * Azerbaijani cuisine * Culture of Azerbaijan The culture of Azerbaijan ...
, Belarusian,
Estonian Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also * ...
, Latvian, Lithuanian, Moravian, Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian cuisine, chopped cabbage is often pickled together with shredded carrots. Other ingredients may include caraway seeds, whole or quartered
apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancest ...
s for additional flavor or cranberry for flavor and better keeping (the benzoic acid in cranberries is a common preservative). Sometimes the finely chopped outer green cabbage leaves are fermented for special "grey" schi. Bell peppers and beets are added in some recipes for color. The resulting sauerkraut salad is typically served cold, as '' zakuski'' or a side dish. A homemade type of very mild sauerkraut is available, where white cabbage is pickled with salt in a refrigerator for only three to seven days. This process results in very little lactic acid production. Sometimes in Russia 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 Pierogi are filled dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savory or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water. They are often pan-fried before serving. Pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of Central, Easte ...
'', Russian '' pirogi'' and '' pirozhki''. Sauerkraut is also the central ingredient in traditional soups, such as '' shchi'' (a national dish of Russia), '' kwaśnica'' (Poland), '' kapustnica'' ( Slovakia), and '' zelňačka'' (
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
resp. Moravian). It is an ingredient of Polish '' bigos'' (a hunter's stew). In
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
and
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, cooked sauerkraut is often flavored with juniper berries or caraway seeds; apples and white wine are added in popular variations. In South Tyrol, it is made with Juniper berries, Extra-virgin olive oil and smoked pancetta. Traditionally it is served warm, with pork (e.g. '' eisbein'', '' schweinshaxe'', '' Kassler'') or sausages (smoked or fried sausages, '' Frankfurter Würstchen'', Vienna sausages, black pudding), accompanied typically by roasted or steamed potatoes or dumplings (''
knödel Knödel (; and ) or Klöße (; ) are boiled dumplings commonly found in Central European and East European cuisine. Central European countries in which their variant of ''Knödel'' is popular include Austria, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, ...
'' or '' schupfnudel''). Similar recipes are common in other Central European cuisines. The Czech national dish ''vepřo knedlo zelo'' consists of roast pork with '' knedliky'' and sauerkraut. In Bulgaria, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, North Macedonia and Slovenia, usually the whole cabbage heads are pickled. Such produce is used for many dishes, from a simple salad made of chopped cabbage and sprinkled with paprika, to cabbage rolls. In northern parts of Serbia and Croatia, it is often added to the bean soup. In central Serbia, a local specialty called "wedding cabbage" is made by slowly stewing roughly cut cabbage with at least three kinds of meats, lean, fatty, and smoked. In
Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
, the local type of sauerkraut
varza murata
= whole pickled cabbage heads) are used as wrap for the national dish called " Sarmale", a Turkish-inspired roll, made of pickled cabbage leaves with minced pork and rice, having its own personality and very distinct in taste from its Ottoman predecessor. In
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, sauerkraut is the main ingredient of the Alsatian meal ''
choucroute garnie ''Choucroute garnie'' ( French for ''dressed sauerkraut'') is an Alsatian recipe for preparing sauerkraut with sausages and other salted meats and charcuterie, and often potatoes. Although sauerkraut/cabbage is a traditionally German and Easte ...
'' (
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
for "dressed sauerkraut"), sauerkraut with sausages (Strasbourg sausages, smoked Morteau or Montbéliard sausages), charcuterie (bacon, ham, etc.), and often potatoes. In
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...
it is called ''chucrut'' and is a common topping for sandwiches and hotdogs, especially for completos. Sauerkraut, along with pork, is eaten traditionally in
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
on New Year's Day. The tradition, started by the Pennsylvania Dutch, is thought to bring good luck for the upcoming year. Sauerkraut is also used in American cuisine as a condiment upon various foods, such as sandwiches and hot dogs. In
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...
, particularly in Baltimore and on the Eastern Shore, sauerkraut is a traditional accompaniment for the Thanksgiving turkey. File:Sauerkraut 2.jpg, Cooked sauerkraut File:Zuurkool in pan.jpg, Dutch ''zuurkool
stamppot ''Stamppot'' (English: 'mash pot') is a traditional Dutch dish made from a combination of potatoes mashed with one or several vegetables. History and description These vegetable pairings traditionally include sauerkraut, endive, kale, spinach, tu ...
'' includes sauerkraut mashed with potatoes and is traditionally served with
rookworst The Rookworst (; smoked sausage) is a type of Dutch sausage in which ground meat is mixed with spices and salt and stuffed into a casing (originally made of intestine, but these days usually made of bovine collagen). Described as a Bologna-typ ...
File:08023 dumplings stuffed with sauerkraut.JPG, '' Pierogi'' with sauerkraut File:Cabbage Soup Kapuśniak 01.JPG, '' Kapuśniak'' made with sauerkraut File:Czech sausages and sauerkraut at restaurant Poseidon, Helsinki (bright).jpg, Central European-style sauerkraut and sausages is a popular snack dish in pubs. File:VeproKnedloZelo-00.jpg, Czech ''Vepřo-knedlo-zelo'' File:Eisbein-2.jpg, Pickled '' Eisbein'' served with sauerkraut File:Choucroute-p1030190.jpg, Alsatian ''
Choucroute garnie ''Choucroute garnie'' ( French for ''dressed sauerkraut'') is an Alsatian recipe for preparing sauerkraut with sausages and other salted meats and charcuterie, and often potatoes. Although sauerkraut/cabbage is a traditionally German and Easte ...
''
As Europeans, especially Germans, emigrated to other countries, many of them continued making and eating sauerkraut around the world.


Health effects


Benefits

Many health benefits have been claimed for sauerkraut: * It is a high source of vitamins C and K; the fermentation process increases the bioavailability of nutrients rendering sauerkraut even more nutritious than the original cabbage. It is also low in food energy and high in
calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar ...
and magnesium, and it is a very good source of dietary fiber, folate,
iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in ...
,
potassium Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin '' kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmos ...
, copper and manganese. * If
unpasteurized Pasteurization or pasteurisation is a process of food preservation in which packaged and non-packaged foods (such as milk and fruit juices) are treated with mild heat, usually to less than , to eliminate pathogens and extend shelf life. Th ...
and uncooked, sauerkraut also contains live
lactobacilli The ''Lactobacillaceae'' are a family of lactic acid bacteria. It is the only family in the lactic acid bacteria which includes homofermentative and heterofermentative organisms; in the ''Lactobacillaceae,'' the pathway used for hexose fermentati ...
and beneficial microbes and is rich in
enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products ...
s. Fiber and probiotics improve digestion and promote the growth of healthy bowel flora, protecting against many diseases of the digestive tract. * During the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...
, the physician John Jay Terrell (1829–1922) was able to successfully reduce the death rate from disease among prisoners of war; he attributed this to feeding his patients raw sauerkraut. * Sauerkraut and its juice is a time-honored folk remedy for canker sores. The treatment is to rinse the mouth with sauerkraut juice for about 30 seconds several times a day, or place a wad of sauerkraut against the affected area for a minute or so before chewing and swallowing the sauerkraut. * In 2002, the ''Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry'' reported that Finnish researchers found the
isothiocyanates In organic chemistry, isothiocyanate is the functional group , formed by substituting the oxygen in the isocyanate group with a sulfur. Many natural isothiocyanates from plants are produced by enzymatic conversion of metabolites called glu ...
produced in sauerkraut fermentation inhibit the growth of cancer cells in test tube and animal studies. 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".


Disadvantages

Excessive consumption of sauerkraut may lead to bloating and flatulence due to the trisaccharide
raffinose Raffinose is a trisaccharide composed of galactose, glucose, and fructose. It can be found in beans, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, other vegetables, and whole grains. Raffinose can be hydrolyzed to D-galactose and sucrose ...
, which the human small intestine cannot break down. This does not negatively affect long-term health, although it might be uncomfortable. Additionally, sauerkraut has a very high content of
sodium Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na (from Latin ''natrium'') and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table. Its only stable ...
.


Similar foods

Many other vegetables are preserved by a similar process: * ''
Achaar South Asian pickles, also known as avalehikā, pachchadi, achaar (sometimes spelled as aachaar), athaanu, loncha, oorugaai, or aavakaai, is a pickled food made from a variety of vegetables and fruits preserved in brine, vinegar, edible oils, and ...
'' in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan * '' Atsara'' in the Philippines * '' Brovada'' in northern Italy * ''
Curtido Curtido () is a type of lightly fermented cabbage relish. It is typical in Salvadoran cuisine and that of other Central American countries, and is usually made with cabbage, onions, carrots, oregano, and sometimes lime juice; it resembles sauer ...
'' in El Salvador * Dill pickles in eastern and central Europe * '' Encurtido'' in Nicaragua * '' Kimchi'' in Korea * Silage, a feed for cattle * '' Suan cai'' in northeastern China * '' Tsukemono'' in Japan * Kiseli kupus in Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, and Bulgaria


See also

* Baiuvarii * Coleslaw * * * * * Sauerkraut missions * *


References


Bibliography

* ''USDA Canning guides'', Volume 7 * * * * *


External links


Laboratory Exercise in Sauerkraut Fermentation

Fermenting food since before H. sapiens appeared.
'' The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition''
Crunchy pickled cabbage: video-tutorial

Fermentation Tips for Beginners
{{Authority control Ancient dishes Cabbage dishes Condiments German cuisine Austrian cuisine National dishes Cuisine of Baltimore Pickles Plant-based fermented foods Sour foods Vegan cuisine