Whether in the south or the north, pickles are an indispensable food in the diet, and their figure lingers on the table. Although many friends like this kind of food, the rumor that eating it causes cancer is persistent. However, is this statement true? This article will solve your doubts.

Pickled vegetables are a kind of food after some vegetables are pickled. These vegetables often include cucumber, white radish, Chinese cabbage and some wild vegetables. Because the price of raw materials is relatively low, the price of pickles is often close to the people. The original purpose of making pickles is because vegetables are scarce and difficult to preserve in some areas and periods, so fresh vegetables can be preserved for a relatively long time after pickling, and pickles can be used instead when fresh vegetables cannot be easily eaten. Although there is no shortage of fresh vegetables and fresh-keeping methods under the condition of scientific progress, pickles are still loved by the public with their unique flavor.

There are three main ways to pickle pickles. The first one is pickles fermented by acetic acid bacteria, which has a relatively strong sour taste and is often called sauerkraut. The second pickling process is similar to the first one and belongs to biological fermentation. The strain used in this fermentation process is lactic acid bacteria, and its pickles taste fresh and sour, and the pickles made from it are exactly what we call kimchi; We are all familiar with the third pickling method. This method mainly uses salt for pickling, which has strong operability and is very popular in many places in China.

There may be carcinogens in pickles, but we can't generalize. Many friends know that the carcinogen in pickles is actually nitrite, but not all pickles contain this substance. The first two methods mentioned above will not produce nitrite, although the third method will produce nitrite, but its content only exists in large quantities from the second day to the tenth day of pickling. In short, the nitrite content of pickles used within two days after pickling or eaten after half a month to one month often cannot affect the human body. If you are still uneasy, you can cook pickles in hot water or add lemon juice to eat them before use.

This article is scientifically checked by Ruan Guangfeng, director of the business department of Kexin Food and Nutrition Information Exchange Center.