Chemical composition and bioactive compounds of garlic (Allium sativum L.) as affected by pre- and post-harvest conditions: A review

• Published in: Food chemistry Vol. 211; pp. 41 - 50
• Main Authors: Martins, Natália, Petropoulos, Spyridon, Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 15.11.2016
• Subjects: Allicin; Alliin; Allium sativum; Allium sativum L; Antioxidant activity; Bioactive compounds; bioactive properties; diet; garlic; Garlic - chemistry; Garlic extracts; genotype; Humans; ingredients; medicine; organic sulfur compounds; phenolic compounds; Phenolics; S-allyl-cysteine sulfoxides; storage conditions; vegetables; Alliin; Allicin; Diallyl disulfide (CID 16590); 1,2-Vinyldiithin (CID 90814902); Antioxidant activity; S-allyl-cysteine (CID 97939050); S-allyl-cysteine sulfoxides; Allicin (CID 65036); Phenolics; Bioactive compounds; (Z)-Ajoene (CID 9881148); γ-Glutamyl-S-2-propenyl cysteine (CID 11346811); Allixin (CID 86374); Allium sativum L; Garlic extracts; (E)-Ajoene (CID 5386591); Alliin (CID 87310); Methyl allyl disulfide (CID 62434)
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.05.029

•The review outlines factors affecting chemical composition.•Garlic considered one of the richest vegetable sources of total phenolic compounds.•Bioactive properties are attributed to the organosulfur compounds content.•Allicin, the major organosulfur compound is very unstable.•Processing treatments may have a profound effect on garlic quality. Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is considered one of the twenty most important vegetables, with various uses throughout the world, either as a raw vegetable for culinary purposes, or as an ingredient of traditional and modern medicine. Furthermore, it has also been proposed as one of the richest sources of total phenolic compounds, among the usually consumed vegetables, and has been highly ranked regarding its contribution of phenolic compounds to human diet. This review aims to examine all the aspects related with garlic chemical composition and quality, focusing on its bioactive properties. A particular emphasis is given on the organosulfur compounds content, since they highly contribute to the effective bioactive properties of garlic, including its derived products. The important effects of pre-harvest (genotype and various cultivation practices) and post-harvest conditions (storage conditions and processing treatments) on chemical composition and, consequently, bioactive potency of garlic are also discussed.