How do Cucumbers Become Pickles?
Cucumbers become pickles through a process called pickling, which has been used to preserve a wide assortment of foods since at least 2,000 BCE. Pickling ferments foods with beneficial bacteria for flavor, and also preserves them in an acidic brine solution so that they will not go bad. Pickled foods will last for up to one year when handled properly, and they can be used in a range of dishes, typically as condiments. Technically, the word “pickle” can refer to any pickled food, but in North America, most people think of cucumber pickles when pickles are under discussion.
