A pickled cucumber, most often simply called a pickle in the United States and Canada, is a cucumber that has been preserved and flavored in a solution of vinegar, brine, often with spices, sugar, or other flavorings. The term pickle is also used in a broader sense to refer to any vegetable, fruit, or other food preserved in a brine or vinegar mixture, such as the pickling of cauliflower, olives, watermelon rind, cabbage, onion, pepper, herring, and onions. However, this article will be specific for pickled cucumbers, with cucumbers the most well-known and commonly pickled food.

     Human beings, utilizing their creativity, have taken the cucumber and developed different varieties of cucumbers and many types of pickled cucumbers. Pickles vary according to the spices and other ingredients used in the process and the type of cucumber. Among diverse ingredients utilized to make uniquely flavored pickles are aromatic spices such as dill weed for all types of dill pickles cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg; hot spices such as black pepper, ginger, and mustard; and herbs such as basil, and thyme (Romanowski 1996). Some pickles are sweet, with sugar added, and some are produced with onions and garlic. The pickles produced are used in a variety of ways, such as eating directly, or as a condiment, or in various dishes.