Cooked garlic and antioxidant activity: Correlation with organosulfur compound composition

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Organic Chemistry

Background:

• Garlic is recognized for its health benefits, attributed to its organosulphur compounds.
• Understanding the impact of cooking on garlic's antioxidant properties is crucial for dietary recommendations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the antioxidant activity of home-cooked garlic.
• To identify the relationships between organosulphur compounds and antioxidant properties.
• To elucidate the mechanisms underlying garlic's antioxidant effects after cooking.

Main Methods:

• Assessing antioxidant activity using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and beta-carotene bleaching assays.
• Analyzing raw and stir-fried garlic samples.
• Evaluating pure organosulphur compounds like allicin, ajoenes, and 2-VD.

Main Results:

• Raw garlic exhibited the highest activity in DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays.
• Stir-fried garlic showed the highest activity in the beta-carotene bleaching assay.
• Allicin demonstrated antiradical and iron-reducing capacity; ajoenes and 2-VD primarily acted via antioxidant mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• Home-cooked garlic preserves significant antioxidant activity.
• The study clarifies the specific roles of different organosulphur compounds in garlic's antioxidant effects.
• This research provides a mechanistic understanding of how cooking influences garlic's beneficial properties.