Almost everyone holds heartwarming memories of homemade pickles. Whenever we hear the word 'pickle,' the first picture that pops into our heads is of our mothers and grandmothers' careful gathering and cleaning of fresh seasonal fruits, their expert hands pouring brine into a clean, sterile jar.
There was an irresistible temptation to taste the pickles before they were fully prepared. Building anticipation while waiting to savour its flavours was a delight in itself. However, times have changed, and today, most people avoid all the hustle and simply buy a jar of pickles from the supermarket. This is a convenient transformation from the traditional pickle-making.
Processed pickles are designed for the modern consumer with convenience in mind. But can they match the taste and quality of the homemade treasures one remembers from childhood?
Pickle has several health benefits. It is often fermented using lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which can act as probiotics. It is a low-calorie, low-fat fibre source, often containing vitamins A and K and immune-boosting vitamin C. It also contains disease-fighting antioxidants that can target free radicals that might cause damage to your cells.
With homemade pickles, one can have complete control over the ingredients. This provides a significant advantage for those who are health-conscious or picky about what goes into their food.
Commercially made pickles typically depend on preservatives to increase their shelf life, prioritising mass production and long-term storage. The goal is to ensure pickles can sit on store shelves for extended periods and reach a wide consumer base.
Homemade pickles, on the other hand, have fewer preservatives and no artificial additives, creating a more natural and unaltered product. The emphasis here is not on prolonged shelf life for mass distribution but on creating a simple and tasty food.
Firuz Nawer Aahir, a Dental College graduate, shares her love for pickles, saying, "I've always loved my mom's special turmeric and sour mango pickles; there is just something about the taste that can never be found elsewhere. I had to stay away from home due to my academic career; jars of pickles made with love by mom have always been there with me. We're all familiar with the reputation of hostel canteen food, but with her pickles, it somehow becomes much more bearable."
Pickles are a very popular and common street food in Bangladesh. Walking in the city streets, you are certain to come across several carts or roadside shops selling pickles. The quality of those pickles, however, is a subject of concern.
A team from the University of Dhaka's Department of Microbiology conducted a study on the quality of pickles sold on the city's various streets. The study aimed to isolate and characterise lactic acid bacteria used in the fermentation process of making pickles and assess the microbial quality of pickles for food safety.
A total of 30 samples of different kinds of pickles were collected from the streets of Dhaka. The result suggested that although the lactic acid bacteria isolated from sweet pickles do not have antimicrobial activities, they still have the potential to be used as probiotics. It also shows a high occurrence of antibiotic-resistant foodborne pathogens in pickles, indicating that consumption of such street food can cause serious health hazards.
The tradition of making pickles at home is deeply rooted in Bengali culture. Although it is starting to fade away as convenience trumps everything slowly, it can never replace the authentic taste and quality of homemade treasures. The secret ingredients in our mothers and grandmothers' recipes were not just spices but love, time, and tradition. That's a richness no factory-made pickle can replicate.
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