Kraut
Kraut
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
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.
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.
Cooked sauerkraut
Czech Vepro-knedlo-zelo
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:
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:
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