What’s the difference between fermentation and pickling? 🥒🥕🥬 By @wendythefoodscientist As a food scientist, I get this question a lot: are all pickles fermented? What makes a pickle a pickle? Let’s dive into the food science: 🥬🥒 Lacto-fermentation is a natural process where beneficial bacteria (mostly Lactobacillus) convert sugars into lactic acid. This lowers the pH to preserve the food and it gives that signature tangy, complex flavour. Fermentation takes days to weeks, depending on tempe

Pickling vs Fermenting — why the confusion & what’s the difference? 🥒🧅 Some foods, like dill pickles, include the word pickle but can actually be fermented. The key difference is the source of acidity. In pickling, vegetables are soaked in a vinegar based brine which creates all the flavor. The tangy taste comes from the vinegar, not a biological process. Pickling is usually faster and ready within a few hours or days, however the end result is not probiotic. Fermenting, on the other hand, pre