The softening observed in air-purged laboratory
fermentations was believed to have been
caused by molds growing on the brine surface
along with oxidative yeasts (9). This could not
be true with most commercial tanks, however,
since their surfaces are exposed to sun and no
films of microbes develop on them. In addition,
if the softening resulted from pectinolytic or
cellulolytic enzymes produced in the brine, essentially
all of the cucumbers in the tank would
be expected to become soft. This does occur