. 2023 Sep 19;11(9):2343. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11092343

Table 1.

Effect of fermentation on pH, acidity, carbohydrate content and total viable count at various growth stages (1st, 2nd, 3rd) of spinach.

Stage	Fermentation Time(h)	pH	Acidity (mg/100 g LA)	Carbohydrates (mg/100 g)	Total Viable Counts [Colony-Forming Units (CFU)/g]
1st	0	5.0 ± 0.75 ^a	110 ± 0.01 ^e	46.0 ± 6.18 ^a	8 × 10⁻⁵ ± 1.25 ^d
	24	4.8 ± 0.74 ^a	230 ± 0.02 ^e	42.0 ± 4.46 ^ab	7.8 × 10⁻⁶ ± 1.22 ^d
	48	3.7 ± 0.58 ^b	380 ± 0.03 ^cd	41.6 ± 4.16 ^ab	7.6 × 10⁻⁶ ± 1.19 ^d
	72	3.6 ± 0.56 ^b	760 ± 0.08 ^b	39.1 ± 3.66 ^ab	1.3 × 10⁻⁸ ± 1.89 ^bc
	96	3.4 ± 0.53 ^b	830 ± 0.11 ^ab	38.0 ± 7.24 ^ab	1.2 × 10⁻⁷ ± 1.60 ^abc
	120	3.4 ± 0.05 ^b	900 ± 0.15 ^ab	36.4 ± 4.21 ^ab	1.1 × 10⁻⁷ ± 1.74 ^a
2nd	0	5.1 ± 0.12 ^a	120 ± 0.02 ^e	46.0 ± 7.90 ^a	8 × 10⁻⁴ ± 0.75 ^d
	24	4.9 ± 0.39 ^a	240 ± 0.07 ^de	43.0 ± 6.45 ^ab	7.7 × 10⁻⁵ ± 1.47 ^d
	48	3.8 ± 0.18 ^b	390 ± 0.03 ^c	42.6 ± 6.56 ^ab	7.5 × 10⁻⁶ ± 0.86 ^d
	72	3.7 ± 0.20 ^b	780 ± 0.06 ^ab	39.0 ± 6.09 ^ab	14 × 10⁻⁷ ± 4.09 ^c
	96	3.5 ± 0.55 ^b	840 ± 0.07 ^ab	37.0 ± 5.78 ^b	1.3 × 10⁻⁷ ± 1.81 ^abc
	120	3.5 ± 0.55 ^b	910 ± 0.18 ^a	35.4 ± 5.53 ^ab	10 × 10⁻⁶ ± 2.18 ^ab
3rd	0	5.0 ± 0.78 ^a	110 ± 0.01 ^e	46.0 ± 0.72 ^a	8.2 × 10⁻⁵ ± 1.36 ^d
	24	4.8 ± 0.22 ^a	230 ± 0.02 ^e	42.0 ± 0.99 ^ab	8 × 10⁻⁶ ± 1.37 ^d
	48	3.7 ± 0.17 ^b	380 ± 0.03 ^cd	41.6 ± 3.31 ^ab	7.6 × 10⁻⁶ ± 2.20 ^d
	72	3.6 ± 0.37 ^b	760 ± 0.08 ^b	39.1 ± 1.89 ^ab	1.3 × 10⁻⁷ ± 1.28 ^bc
	96	3.4 ± 0.36 ^b	830 ± 0.03 ^ab	38.0 ± 2.08 ^ab	1.1 × 10⁻⁷ ± 1.31 ^abc
	120	3.4 ± 0.34 ^b	900 ± 0.18 ^ab	36.4 ± 5.68 ^b	1.0 × 10⁻⁷ ± 1.57 ^a

Values are given as mean ± standard deviation (n = 3). LA: lactic acid. The values having similar letters in a column are not statistically significant at p > 0.05.