PRODUCTION OF PINK SAUERKRAUT BY YEASTS 269 



SUMMARY 



The pink or red color of sauerkraut is due to the growth of 

 certain yeasts or torulae. Although these organisms are com- 

 monly found in great numbers In kraut, they frequently fail 

 to show any pigment. The production of pigment is not a 

 fixed characteristic but depends upon many factors. The fol- 

 lowing conditions influence the formation of color: kind of sugar, 

 amount of sugar, amount of sodium chloride, reaction, temper- 

 ature, and oxygen supply. The chief factors in the production 

 of pink sauerkraut are high temperature, high salt concentration 

 and high acid content. When cabbage is allowed to ferment at 

 a temperature of 20°C. or above a pink pigment is frequently 

 noted. Almost without exception, cabbage fermented in the 

 presence of large amounts of sodium chloride, 3 per cent or 

 more, showed a decided pink or red color. High acid produc- 

 ing bacteria as well as the direct addition of acids to cabbage 

 favor the development of pink kraut. 



REFERENCES 



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Beuerixck, M. W. 1919 Chromogenic yeasts. Chem. Absts., 13, 1082. 



BuTJAGiN, B. 1904 Vorlaufige Mitteilung iiber Sauerkrautgariing. Centralbl. 

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Grosbusch, T. 1915 t)ber eine farblose stark roten Farbstoff erzeugende 

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