Associated Microorganisms and Chemical Composition of Persimmon Pickles

The objectives of this study were to determine the chemical composition of persimmon pickles and microorganisms associated with the manufacture of persimmon pickles. Moisture content was 80.04% and sugar content was 13.72%, but crude ash content was 4.26% which meant some of sodium chloride in soaking solution were permeated into fresh persimmon. Soluble tannin and total vitamin C contents were decreased from 635.45 mg% and 34.53 mg% to 81.04 mg% and 23.76 mg%, respectively. Free sugars contained in persimmon pickles were glucose, fructose and sucrose, 17 kinds of free amino acids were detected including glutamic acid (24.97 mg%), aspartic acid (24.02 mg%) and leucine (22.33 mg%). Microorganisms asociated with the manufacture of persimmon pickles were identified as Bacillus subtilis, B. cereus, B. pumilus, B. thuringiensis, Candida glabrata, C. guilliermondi and Hansenula cnomala, especially C. glabrata was the strain which caused the swelling of vacuum packages of persimmon pickles in retail stores.