Background

• Since the earliest days of history, we have used stoneware and earthenware vessels for the storage and fermentation of food products. The practice continues in the form of the stoneware and earthenware crockery commonly utilized in pickling.
  
  

Leaching

• Unlike most food-safe glass and plastic containers, stoneware and earthenware crocks are not necessarily air-tight. As is the case with all porous materials, some air and water escapes. When stoneware or earthenware crocks are used for pickling, the brine can seep through, and once the water has evaporated, a thin film or crust of white salt is often left behind on the surface.
  
  

Solutions

• If the leaching of brine is a concern, consider transferring the contents of the crock to a food-safe plastic or glass container with a better seal. It is not advisable to add a glaze to a crock for the purpose of eliminating leaching, as glazes often contain lead and other toxins, and may pose an unnecessary health risk.