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

Abstract

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.

Keywords: (E)-Ajoene (CID 5386591); (Z)-Ajoene (CID 9881148); 1,2-Vinyldiithin (CID 90814902); Allicin; Allicin (CID 65036); Alliin; Alliin (CID 87310); Allium sativum L.; Allixin (CID 86374); Antioxidant activity; Bioactive compounds; Diallyl disulfide (CID 16590); Garlic extracts; Methyl allyl disulfide (CID 62434); Phenolics; S-allyl-cysteine (CID 97939050); S-allyl-cysteine sulfoxides; γ-Glutamyl-S-2-propenyl cysteine (CID 11346811).