Lower sodium option for fermenting pickles

This is the first place i've seen a study of taste and bacteria/yeast/mold when using less sodium salt and adding in calcium, potassium, magnesium salts. https://www.curresweb.com/mejar/mejar/2017/99-106.pdf
We've pretty much given up on very salted anything, and less sodium all the time.
i miss the fermented dill pickles and i'll probably try the T2 solution of 4% sodium chloride and 4% potassium chloride solution since that will lower the sodium by 50%. The taste tests say they rate closely to the full sodium fermented pickles.
let me know if you tried this. i've read that there ARE low sodium fermented pickles but the bacteria level can be a serious issue that i don't want to take that chance. i'll probably fortify the solution in the beginning with active vinegar to set the stage for low bacteria.
my left shift key is still broken but the new one is coming tomorrow i hope.

Not sure if I understand, but it sounds you would "normally" use 8% NaCl? That sounds very high to me.

Be careful. Due to kidney and liver issues, I am on a low sodium diet, but I have been warned by my Hepatologist to not substitute potassium. I was told to limit sodium intake, but not completely eliminate it, especially by substituting potassium. I'm not saying you need to do the same thing, but you might want to ask a qualified doctor.

CD

Have you looked into refrigerator pickles? The salt requirement may be lower in some that aren't prepared for shelf stable storage.

Use the following quantities for each gallon capacity of your container.

• 4 lbs of 4-inch pickling cucumbers
• 2 tbsp dill seed or 4 to 5 heads fresh or dry dill weed
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/4 cup vinegar (5 percent)
• 8 cups water and one or more of the following ingredients:
  • 2 cloves garlic (optional)
  • 2 dried red peppers (optional)
  • 2 tsp whole mixed pickling spices (optional)

@caseydog, yes, anyone with kidney issues should not substitute potassium for sodium.

Silversage said:

Have you looked into refrigerator pickles? The salt requirement may be lower in some that aren't prepared for shelf stable storage.

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i make a low salt and low sugar sweet sour pickle, that is canned, that we use in our salads and for snacking. i make a lower salt dill pickle, that is canned, that we use for hamburgers. Refrigerator pickles are great but take up room in the fridge.

The taste of a vinegar solution canned or refrigerator pickle is different than a fermented pickle.
Vinegar is an acetic acid solution, and a fermented pickle brine is a lactic acid and acetic acid solution. I prefer the fermented pickles for this taste.

blissful said:

National Center for Home Food Preservation - National Center for Home Food Preservation

The National Center for Home Food Preservation is your source for home food preservation methods.

nchfp.uga.edu

Use the following quantities for each gallon capacity of your container.

• 4 lbs of 4-inch pickling cucumbers
• 2 tbsp dill seed or 4 to 5 heads fresh or dry dill weed
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/4 cup vinegar (5 percent)
• 8 cups water and one or more of the following ingredients:
  • 2 cloves garlic (optional)
  • 2 dried red peppers (optional)
  • 2 tsp whole mixed pickling spices (optional)

@caseydog, yes, anyone with kidney issues should not substitute potassium for sodium.

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What salt are they using as tablesalt by volume is heavier than some of the others
(I much prefer metric.....)

Isn't there a way of using whey when fermenting various foods, so not so much salt is needed? I vaguely remember Ross, @Just Cooking, posting about it.

Silversage said:

Have you looked into refrigerator pickles? The salt requirement may be lower in some that aren't prepared for shelf stable storage.

Click to expand...

I make my refrigerator pickled veggies without salt.

BTW, I live alone and have a very large fridge, so space is not an issue.

CD

About the salt recommendations; Use canning or pickling salt. Noncaking material added to other salts may make the brine cloudy. Since flake salt varies in density, it is not recommended for making pickled and fermented foods.

A bit off topic, but not too much....
I make everything with iodized salt even though all I have read says you can't use it.
Never had any issuess, so I wonder if it is just one of those things that everyone repeats....

Reason for using iodized is that there is no other salt available here. All salt is iodized.

I'm fully metric, so flaked, fine ground etc is no problem

@Badjak, yes, it was often mentioned that iodine will have an effect on fermentation, retarding it, so not to use it. Up until now I believed that. Thanks for bringing it up.

When I looked for studies about fermentation and how iodine effects it, they said, it has no substantial effect on it! Here's one such study result. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32950146/

You mention that all salt is iodized which puzzles me. Does all salt have iodine where you live? That's possible. (iodine is added to prevent the incidence of goiters, thyroid)

In the US and Canada, we can buy either non-iodized or iodized table salt, it is always labeled that way. Grocery stores have them right next to each other on the shelves. There are so many types of salt: sea salt, celtic salt, black and pink salt, ..., flakes, large crystal, granules and finely ground and most don't have iodine added.
Canning salt and softener salt are non-iodized. Also, the food industry here uses salt, and lots of it, and that salt is generally non iodized.

Back to the fermentation of pickles. A percentage solution is more easily found by weight. By weight 1/2 cup canning salt is 150 grams, dissolved in 2 liters of 2000 ml, giving an 6.9% solution.

One of the most popular fermented pickles available here are preservative free, raw fermented pickles: Bubbies pickles. https://www.bubbies.com/products/spicy-kosher-dills Canada and most countries probably have a similar fermented pickle available to try.

blissful said:

You mention that all salt is iodized which puzzles me. Does all salt have iodine where you live? That's possible. (iodine is added to prevent the incidence of goiters, thyroid)

In the US and Canada, we can buy either non-iodized or iodized table salt, it is always labeled that way. Grocery stores have them right next to each other on the shelves. There are so many types of salt: sea salt, celtic salt, black and pink salt, ..., flakes, large crystal, granules and finely ground and most don't have iodine added.

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Badjak lives in a country in South-Central Africa, and from other posts I've read of his, a lot of things are not available near him.

CD

I'm sure that the reason non-iodized salt is not used for commercial pickling is cost! While un-iodized and iodized salt is the same cost in a retail store, it costs something to iodize salt, and multiply this by the tons of salt they use, it adds up.

And the reason I've always seen to not use iodized salt is not a safety issue, but that the pickles can darken from the iodine.

pepper, I agree. I'd always heard that the iodine had some sort of effect in the brine. Don't remember (if I ever even knew?) just what that effect was.

caseydog said:

Badjak lives in a country in South-Central Africa, and from other posts I've read of his, a lot of things are not available near him.

CD

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Correct, except that him is a her
But yeah, only iodized salt here, I assume to prevent goitre

I just finished one of those jars of refrigerator pickles today, and put together another jar, using the same brine, and adding just a small amount extra of sugar and vinegar, and a pinch of salt and calcium chloride. I packed 3 cut up cukes in the jar, and set it on the counter - I just flip the jar when I walk by, to stir the mixture up, and tonight, it will go into the fridge. There's another quart jar in there, and a pint jar, and by the time I get to them, they are well pickled, with more on their way. I usually have 4 going at a time, at this time of year. And there's not a lot of salt in them - 1/4 tsp initially - but there is sugar.
Refrigerator pickles, 3 cukes. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Badjak said:

Correct, except that him is a her
But yeah, only iodized salt here, I assume to prevent goitre

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I was actually hesitant to say "him," but the name Badjak just pushed me in that direction.

CD

No worries
Badjak cones from Sambal Badjak, one of mt favourite condiments

Yumm, had never heard of it. Going to have to get me some. Sambal Oelek and Harissa are my favourites, so I'm sure I'll like Badjak as well.