Fermentation in sour pickles

SOUR PICKLES

These are a favorite of many and a lot of people miss them when going on a Paleo diet, but the naturally lacto-fermented kind if perfectly healthy, crunchy and sour. This version is flavored with garlic and dill. Your garlic too will lacto-ferment and can be enjoyed afterwards as it will be packed with flavor.

Ingredients

• 3.7854 liters pickling cucumbers, unwaxed;
• 2 bunches fresh dill
• 16 cloves garlic, whole and peeled
• 3 tbsp pickling spices (peppercorns, mustard seeds, bay leaves, cloves, …)
• 5 or 6 tbsp sea salt

Preparation

1. Soak the cucumbers in cold water for a few hours then scrub them thoroughly to to prevent any mold from forming during the fermentation process.
2. Place the cucumbers, dill, garlic and spices in your fermentation jar and sprinkle a bit of sea salt as you go along.
3. Prepare a brine of 5 tablespoons sea salt to 1.9 cups water, making sure to stir well to dissolve the salt and fill the fermentation jar with the brine so it covers the cucumbers.
4. Cover the jar place it in a warm spot in your kitchen and allow the cucumbers to ferment for 5 to 10 days.
5. A good way to know when it’s ready is to taste it during the fermentation process. It’s ready when you’re satisfied with the taste.

  The fermentation helps cooks the pickles through a certain process.

Lactic acid is produced from the fermentation (Lactic Acid Fermentation) which makes the liquid acidic. The salt then encourages good bacteria to come, while simultaneously driving away the bad bacteria. This makes the liquid even more acidic. Once the acidity dips below 4.6 Ph, most bacteria is killed leaving the food safe to consume.

Positive effects of Fungi

Fungi are generally known for being disgusting and a nuisance. However, they are incredibly useful as they have many positive effects.

Fungi are especially useful in medicine. Many of the medicine that you know came from different types of fungi. Penicillin, a common vaccination, comes from a type of mold, Penicillum Notautm, while Cycosporin, comes from a fungus that inhabits insects.

As a food, fungus are considered a delicacy in many countries, especially Asia and some parts of South America. Mushrooms are the most commonly consumed, yet different types, such as tofu, or bean curd are also edible. Many people consider fungi to have nutritious and even healing properties.

Possibly the most important detail of fungi is the fact that they are decomposers. They recycle many of the important nutrients and elements lost in the waste of other organisms. Once eaten, these nutrients are brought back into the bodies of other animals.

Cell Movement

Diffusion:
Gas exchanges in the lungs operate using diffusion. The Carbon Dioxide that is produced as a result of the oxygen is removed due to there being a higher concentration of carbon dioxide inside than outside.

Osmosis:
Dipping a sponge in water will cause the water to be absorbed since there is a higher concentration of water outside than in.

Facilitated Diffusion:
Glucose cannot normally enter through the cell membrane due to the lipid bilayer, yet due to the protein in the membrane, it can enter.

Endocytosis:
Bacteria being engulfed by the cell by the cell membrane.




References:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081015141528AA5Xkb2
http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/biobooktransp.html