Effects of Moderate Germination on Physicochemical Properties and Antioxidant Capacity of Raw and Aged Black Garlics

This study investigated the effects of moderate germination (4°C, 65%–75% RH, sprout length less than 1 cm) on the physicochemical properties and antioxidant capacity of raw and aged black garlics. Moderate germination significantly increased the contents of fructose, glucose, alliin, allicin, total flavonoids in raw garlic, which improved by 33.68%, 31.47%, 5.61%, 38.21%, and 90.91%, respectively. It also resulted in the obvious rise in alliin, total polyphenols, and total flavonoids in black garlic aged from germinated raw garlic, and rose by 29.01%, 26.96%, and 51.22%, respectively. The antioxidant capacity of germinated raw garlic and its aged black garlic was also significantly improved. While germination promoted the formation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) (increased by 55.47%) and inhibited the production of acrylamide (decreased by 49.91%) in aged black garlic. It did not significantly affect the color of raw and aged black garlics. Moderate germination is an excellent strategy to improve the nutritional contents and antioxidant capacity of raw and aged black garlics, which displays a promising alternative for developing functional foods from moderately germinated raw garlic and its aged product.