Instant pickle - quick question

ejf12009

When using my chamber vac to make an instant pickle, does it matter whether I use a bag (and thus get compression) or an open top container?

Actually related question: why is the bag needed to compress, say, a melon? I'd think that if I just put the melon slice on a plate, when the vacuum runs the vacuoles burst and the air pockets in the melon are evacuated. Then when pressure returns shouldn't that pressure crush the melon, even without the aid of a bag to distribute force?

GaryT_92514

I presume that without the bag, the air returning after the release of the vacuum just re-enters the melon (through burst vacuoles etc) and pressure inside and outside the melon is equalised (i.e. no compression). The bag stops air re-entering the melon and therefore pressure outside the bag is greater than inside, and this is equalised by compression.