Making sauerkraut

We made sauerkraut in lab today! You just need some chopped cabbage, water, salt and an airtight jar. Sauerkraut is the result of the fermentation of the cabbage by lactic acid bacteria that is halophilic and acid-tolerant. Lactic acid produced by the bacteria not only gives the characteristic sour taste, but also prevents the growth of other bacteria that are sensitive to acidic conditions. The high salt also selects for lactic acid bacteria since other bacteria will not be able to withstand the high osmotic pressure.

Compact the salted cabbage in water to remove any air (fermentation is an anaerobic process).

Completely fill jar, and leave the cap slightly loose to allow for the escape of produced carbon dioxide