Improper storage and violation of the technology for making sauerkraut can cause serious poisoning for the person who will consume the products. About how to avoid such a situation, and what to do if poisoning still happened, read below.

What kind of sauerkraut should not be eaten?

Cabbage that has not gone through the complete fermentation process is not suitable for consumption. For 2-3 days after laying the products, the fermentation process still lasts. It is at this point that it is not ready for use and can cause intoxication symptoms. Products that have been stored for a long time, that is, were cooked in the fall and stood until spring, are also not suitable for consumption. In such a cabbage as a result of prolonged fermentation, pathogens develop.

Usually, the product in this state already has an unsightly appearance, which is characterized by the presence of a large amount of mucus, a color change (turns gray), and smells unpleasant. However, skillful sellers have learned to mask all these signs of spoiled goods by washing with running water, adding vinegar, various berries and onions. With these additives, the cabbage seems edible in appearance and smell, but it actually poses a serious danger.

• You can’t eat a snack if it has the following features:
• viscous, mucous by consistency;
• has an unpleasant musty or rotten smell;
• painted in an unnatural color - gray, pink, reddish;
• there is a white film or mold on the surface of the brine.

The main causes of poisoning

The main factors that provoke acute poisoning with sauerkraut are:

• violation of storage conditions;
• improper cooking technology;
• use of unsuitable utensils.

Did you know? In folk medicine, cabbage juice was used as a means to heal wounds and festering ulcers on the skin.

Also, the cause of poisoning can be the use of insufficient quality products. Cabbage quickly accumulates nitrates in the heads, and most products cultivated on an industrial scale are processed by various growth accelerators and pesticides several times during the whole growing season.

Storage conditions

The considered type of snacks should be stored exclusively at temperatures from 0 to -2 ° C. With an increase in air temperature, fungal bacteria grow, which provoke the development of toxic microflora. It is important to monitor humidity conditions. This indicator should be within 80%. Otherwise, the brine will begin to evaporate quickly, which will lead to "exposure" of the product, its darkening as a result of contact with air.

Violation of cooking technology

For the preparation of sauerkraut, only mid-ripening and late varieties are suitable. They are distinguished by a denser leaf structure, which allows them to retain their beneficial properties for a longer time. Heads of cabbage ripening early are not suitable for this type of processing. In the process of fermentation, such products quickly deteriorate and lose their structure.

Important! Before starting to cook sauerkraut, all dishes used in the processing process must be washed well with soda and doused with boiling water to destroy the bacteria.

The main feature of the cooking technology of the products in question is the separation of the fermentation and storage process. Each of them requires compliance with certain temperature indicators. If the technology is disrupted, the fermentation process instead of lactic acid produces harmful bacteria that, when ingested, cause intoxication. According to technology, the composition of sauerkraut should include a certain number of additional components.

Standard (of total production):

• about 3% carrots;
• 2% salt.

Sometimes add about 8% of apples or lingonberries. If the cabbage is not fermented in shredded form, then saline brine is made not 2%, but 4%. All ingredients used in the preparation of snacks should be thoroughly cleaned and washed. Stumps must be removed from the heads themselves.

The fermentation process itself is divided into 3 periods:

• reproduction of lactic acid bacteria;
• accumulation of lactic acid;
• fermentation.

At the initial stage, salt causes the active release of juice from cabbage, carrots and other components of the dish. In the course of such a reaction, the transition of the enzymatic components of the juice to the brine occurs. At this point, the salt concentration is too high, so the reproduction of lactic acid bacteria is not yet possible. With an increase in the amount of juice secreted, the salt concentration decreases, and the fermentation process begins, accompanied by the release of carbon dioxide, foaming and slight clouding of the brine.

Did you know? Sauerkraut has always been in the diet of seafarers since the Middle Ages. It was this product that saved travelers from vitamin deficiency in long trips and served as a preventative for scurvy.

During this period, it is important to remove the foam in time and maintain the temperature regime within +17 ... + 22 ° С. Neglect of these rules leads to the development of harmful bacteria, as well as a decrease in the intensity of fermentation. The period of formation of lactic acid bacteria should be carried out as soon as possible so that they have time to suppress the development of harmful microflora.

The second period of fermentation is characterized by the accumulation of lactic acid due to the decomposition of carbohydrate compounds in products. The process goes faster at a temperature of + 20 ° C (5–7 days). At the moment when the acid concentration reaches 1.5–2%, fermentation stops.

During the maturation period, the process of suppressing the activity of lactic acid bacteria, which has already accumulated acid, occurs. In parallel with this reaction, the most favorable moment comes for the formation of mold and filamentous yeast, which are able to suppress the activity of acid. To prevent this, the temperature during the ripening period is reduced to 0 ...- 2 ° C.

Unsuitable cookware

The reasons for the development of extraneous microflora in products may be the use of inappropriate dishes. Upon contact with the metal, fermentation products emit toxic compounds. In this regard, only wooden or glassware should be used for cooking and storage. It is undesirable to use plastic containers for preparation and storage - this material is quite fragile, has high absorbency and is difficult to disinfect.

Did you know? On the basis of pickled cabbage brine, masks are made to get rid of acne.

What happens in the body during poisoning?

When harmful microorganisms enter the digestive tract, the process of destruction of the "native" microflora of the human body occurs. Pathological bacteria begin to sharply increase their numbers, due to which there is a suppression of immune cells, in a large number of localized in the digestive tract. In the process, part of them enters the bloodstream, which causes intoxication.

Symptoms of intoxication

In food poisoning with sauerkraut, the first symptoms will manifest themselves after 15-30 minutes or after 2 hours. The main signs of poisoning:

• weakness;
• vomiting
• diarrhea;
• stomach ache;
• dizziness;
• severe dehydration;
• violation of coordination.

If you have problems with the pancreas, you may experience high fever. If a person has a history of allergic reactions to mold, anaphylaxis may occur. She comes almost immediately. The first symptom of anaphylaxis is a bluish nasolabial triangle.

Treatment and recovery in case of poisoning

The first actions in case of poisoning:

1. See a doctor.
2. Take enterosorbents according to the instructions - white or black coal, Enterosgel.
3. Drink about 1 liter of water - in small sips every 5 minutes.
4. With severe dehydration - in 1 liter of water, dilute 1 sachet of "Regidron" and drink in small sips every 10 minutes.

Important! The intake of enterosorbents and probiotics should not coincide in time. It will be correct to drink the sorbent, and after 2 hours - a probiotic.

In the first day after poisoning, the task is to remove toxins. Eating at this time is undesirable. You can drink only water. The intake of enterosorbents is continued for 7 days. To relieve pain, No-Shpa, Riabal can be prescribed. With severe poisoning and the spread of pathogenic microflora, the doctor can prescribe antibiotics for 3–5 days, with preliminary gastric lavage. Be sure to prescribe probiotics for a month. Their reception can be extended for 2 months, depending on the situation.

Throughout the recovery period, a person needs to consume as much fluid as possible

Allowed for use:

• water without gas or slightly carbonated;
• Herb tea;
• dried fruits compote.

It is possible to start a patient’s food intake only a day after eliminating the acute phase of poisoning. The task is to introduce food into the diet gradually and activate metabolism. For this, mashed vegetable soups, mashed potatoes are suitable. You can eat food in small portions, every 3 hours. In this mode, it is advisable to stay for about a week.

On the fourth day, you can start eating soups, gradually introduce dairy products of low fat content. From the diet should be excluded completely fried, salty, spicy dishes. When the patient can return to the usual way of eating, it completely depends on his individual characteristics and the intensity of the intoxication process.

Find out why sauerkraut is soft rather than crunchy.

What may be the consequences of poisoning

The most common complication after poisoning is dysbiosis. In other words, this is a digestive disorder as a result of the destruction of its own microflora. Depending on the age characteristics and the intensity of damage to the body by toxins due to poisoning, it may develop:

• gastritis;
• enterocolitis;
• pancreatitis or other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Shelf life of sauerkraut

The storage life of sauerkraut depends on the conditions. So, when laying products in wooden barrels and maintaining the temperature regime within -1 ... + 4 ° С, relative humidity 80% and the absence of light, the period is 8 months. If all these conditions are preserved and glass jars are used, the shelf life is reduced to 2 weeks. In plastic containers, in the refrigerator, the shelf life is from 5 to 7 days.

Sauerkraut is a great addition to any dish. But in case of violation of the cooking technology, as well as improper storage, products can cause poisoning. To prevent this from happening, you should carefully evaluate the appearance and smell of the snack before buying or eating.