Answer:
Vinegar inhibits the growth of microbes by adding acidic pH to the pickle.
Step-by-step explanation:
Growth of microbes spoils the pickle. Irrespective of their ability to grow in a wide range of pH, each microbial species has its optimum pH. Any deviation from optimum pH slows down or prevents the growth of the microbes. Vinegar serves as a preservative for pickles as it lowers down the pH of pickle and makes it extremely acidic. The extremely acidic conditions do not allow the growth and development of microbes. Hence, the pickle is preserved for a longer time.