History of black vegetables and fruits

Black garlic is obtained from fresh garlic (Allium sativum L.) that has been fermented at a controlled high temperature (60-90°C) and a controlled high humidity (80-90%) over a certain period of time. Compared to fresh garlic, black garlic does not have a strong flavour due to its lower allicin content. The higher bioactivity of black garlic compared to fresh garlic is attributed to the altered physicochemical properties. Studies have been carried out on the basic findings on black garlic, such as its production, bioactivity and applications.

The long history of garlic use in food and acute, chronic and inhalation studies, although limited, have shown no credible adverse biological effects. The exact origins of BG are unknown and controversial. However, BG has been consumed in South Korea, Japan and Thailand for centuries and was introduced to Taiwan and other countries around 10 years ago. In recent years, top chefs have drawn a lot of attention to BG and used it to flavour chicken, fish, soup and risotto.

Compared to fresh garlic, BG does not give off a strong sulphurous flavour due to the lower content of allicin, which has been converted into antioxidant compounds such as bioactive alkaloids and flavonoids during the ageing process. The changes in physico-chemical properties are the main reasons for the increased bioactivity of BG compared to fresh garlic. In addition to daily consumption, several studies have reported that BG extract has multiple functions, such as antioxidant, anti-allergy, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects. In 1990, the Designer Foods Programme listed garlic at the top of the list of cancer-fighting candidates. Although the Designer Foods Programme no longer exists, scientists are still looking for the so-called bioactive components in various foods.