Conservation in brine

Definition and preservative potential

The brine is an aqueous solution of table salt (NaCl), the concentration of which is detected by the Baumé densitometer (Bé);

the brine is used to cook and cover the food to be preserved, in particular: vegetables with a robust flavor (olives, peppers, aubergines, etc.), fish, meat and sausages.

The brines are divided into:

• Sweets (15-18 Bé)
• Strong (20-26 Bé)

The brine must be limpid, clear and characterized by a microbial flora represented almost exclusively by halophilic bacteria (which survive in a saline environment), including mainly micrococci and Bacillus mesentericus.