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Home / News / Real Pickles Partners with UMass Scientists to Study Facility Microbiome

November 1, 2018

Real Pickles Partners with UMass Scientists to Study Facility Microbiome

AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts Amherst food scientists have mapped and characterized microbial populations at Real Pickles’ facility and report that its microbiome was distinct between production and fermentation areas and that the raw vegetables themselves – cabbages destined for sauerkraut – were the main source of fermentation-related microbes in production areas rather than handling or other environmental sources. 

Writing in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, scientists in Dr. David Sela’s lab at UMass Amherst, in collaboration with scientists from two units of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, say this study helps to resolve the question of how microbes are transferred within a food fermentation production facility.

Real Pickles is a worker-owned cooperative in Greenfield, Mass. and makes pickles, sauerkraut, and other fermented vegetables the old-fashioned way, by natural fermentation and without starter cultures or inoculants. Nutritional microbiologist Sela notes that very little is known about the microbiomes of these facilities. Fermented foods are increasingly popular internationally, he adds, because of their enhanced nutritional properties, cultural history and flavor, so the new information from this study should be of interest to food scientists, microbiologists and manufacturers around the world.

Company founder Dan Rosenberg says, “It’s fascinating to learn about the influence of fresh vegetables in establishing our facility’s microbiome and suggests that our use of organic vegetables is important to contributing a diverse microbial community to support a vigorous fermentation. It raises interesting questions about how we can further improve our production practices to be producing fermented and probiotic foods of the highest quality.”

The scientists used a state-of-the-art genomics approach to identify microbial species present instead of culturing the microbes. This allowed the team to quickly identify more microbes than conventional methods, to estimate their relative numbers, predict their function and determine the flow of microbes into and within the facility.

Sela adds, “For the first time, we built a map of the facility and how it was transformed over time during fermentation, which has given us a more complete picture of the population in a real vegetable fermentation facility. Both cheese and beer have been done to a certain extent, but we feel that fermented vegetable facilities could be better characterized. And because we are using these new genomic tools, we have a better understanding of what is there and how they got there. Using the traditional approach, we couldn’t possibly culture everything, so we’d have a far more limited picture.”

“There is so much still to learn about fermented foods, nutrition, and the human gut microbiome – we are excited to be a part of the science exploring these important questions,” says Rosenberg.

This work was funded in part by the Center for Produce Safety, and undergraduate fellowships from the American Society for Microbiology, the UMass Amherst Commonwealth Honors College and the UMass Amherst Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment.

Contact: Addie Rose Holland; 413/774-2600; addierose@realpickles.com

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As part of our commitment to support a regional, o As part of our commitment to support a regional, organic food system, we purchase all of our vegetables and fresh herbs and spices from organic family farms in the Northeast. Check out Riverland Farms' fertile river bottom soil! This healthy soil yields some of the most beautiful certified organic produce ever fermented!

#regionalfoodsystems #organic #farmers #healthysoil 
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Repost @iloveriverlandfarm 
A lovely day for a plow 
#flipflip #fallbrassicas2022
Since 2001, Real Pickles has been producing 100% o Since 2001, Real Pickles has been producing 100% organic, naturally fermented, and raw plant-based food. Our vegetables are grown on Northeast farms that prioritize healthy, living soil – essential ingredients to support a robust fermentation. 
#PackedWithAMission #RealPickles #organic #fermented #raw #vegetables #northeastgrown 
📷@westernmaphoto @atlasfarm
Spring is in full bloom and we are enjoying the lo Spring is in full bloom and we are enjoying the longer days and blue skies, fragrant flowers and delicious fermented veggies! 
#fermentedandraw #packedwithamission #kraut #organic #ferments #realpickles
We’ve been having SO much fun collaborating with We’ve been having SO much fun collaborating with Jim and Katie at the amazing @hopeandoliverestaurant ! 
If you have been missing our Dill Pickles and can’t wait until they come back this summer, stop in and get a Real Pickle Soda or a Real Pickle Martini made with our organic brine! 

Repost from @hopeandoliverestaurant
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Been having fun playing with some @realpickles BRINE and landed on a classic Dirty Martini- but the lacto-fermented pickles are more subtle than the vinegary version- so good finished with a Dilly Bean! Bartender Katie @love.craft.cocktails made a great NA version with the Real Pickle Soda, too- you can ask for them spicy if that’s your jam!
This Earth Day, we celebrate our mission to produc This Earth Day, we celebrate our mission to produce food with a small footprint. Our farm partners are deeply aware of the impacts of climate change to our seasons, pests, crops, and extreme weather. By farming organically, they are also a big part of climate solutions. They are constantly improving their practices to build healthy soil that sequesters carbon and supports biodiversity. They eliminate pesticides and herbicides that are harmful to wildlife, consumers, and farm workers. And, like Real Pickles, their markets are regional and food miles are minimal. Organic farmers are our climate heroes!
🌍🥬👨‍🌾💙 #earthday #climateheroes #realpickles #organic
We were so excited to see chef Michael Scelfo use We were so excited to see chef Michael Scelfo use Real Pickles Organic Ginger Carrots in a recent recipe featured on @kittch ! Link to his video and recipe for "Spicy Carrot Slaw"  in our bio. 

Repost from @mscelfo
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turkey kofta with marinated tomatoes, fermented carrot slaw, & an herby yogurt. 

made it live on @kittch today 🎉

check out the stream & get the recipe over at the kittch site, or tune in next time ✌🏼🙌🏼 

these portions clock in at around 100 calories each…

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