Hollow pickles – causes during curing and brining: Hollow or void-filled pickles are most often obtained as a result of which handling or brining condition?

Introduction / Context:
Internal cavities (hollow centers) in pickles reduce quality and can predispose to further spoilage. The defect is typically linked to gas formation and improper osmotic balance during early curing. Recognizing contributory factors allows processors to intervene at the packing and brining stages.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Fresh cucumbers respire and may trap gases if not tightly packed.
• Brine strength controls osmotic flux and fermentation dynamics.
• Mechanical handling impacts internal tissue integrity and void formation.

Concept / Approach:
Loose packing permits cucumbers to float, creating pockets where gases accumulate and diffusion is uneven. Meanwhile, brine that is too strong or too weak disrupts water and solute movement, producing internal pressure differentials and tissue separation. Together, these conditions foster voids and hollow centers during the early stages of fermentation.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Relate loose packing to flotation and gas entrapment.Explain how off-spec brine (hyper- or hypotonic) disrupts tissue turgor and causes separations.Note that proper degassing, weighting, and uniform packing minimize hollows.Select the combined option to reflect real-world causation.

Verification / Alternative check:
Industry guidance emphasizes correct brine formulation, adequate packing density, and weights to keep cucumbers submerged, which consistently reduces hollow defects.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Only (a) or only (b) captures part of the picture; both typically co-contribute.
• None of these: contradicted by process observations.
• Cooking prior to brining is uncommon for fermented pickles and not a principal cause of hollowness.

Common Pitfalls:
Overlooking the need for weights; failing to account for cucumber size/grade uniformity, which affects packing and brine penetration.

Final Answer:
Both (a) and (b).