"Scientific and research cooperation within an operational group key to launching an innovative product on the market"- Development of a proprietary production technology for black garlic

The aim of the project was to obtain an innovative product - black garlic with significantly increased health-promoting potential in relation to the product already existing on the market, additionally using an innovative technological process for its production, allowing the whole process of ripening garlic cloves in the ripening chamber to be significantly shortened.

• The scope of the research was to select the appropriate type of technological process for both the pre-processing stage and the actual garlic ripening stage, and to determine the optimum process parameters to be used in each of the planned garlic processing stages, towards obtaining a final product with the most desirable organoleptic, physico-chemical characteristics and bioactive properties.
• The study investigated the influence of different pretreatment conditions, i.e. from the physical group and with microorganisms, of natural garlic and the conditions of its ripening in the ripening chamber on the formation of the physicochemical and bioactive properties of black garlic. Physical methods include the blanching process (in water and with steam), the freezing process, ultrasound and the high-pressure technique.
  • Both selected bacterial and yeast strains were used in the microbial method.
  • In addition, a technique of synergistic interaction of these process conditions, i.e. different configurations, was used.
• The actual process of ripening the garlic in the fermentation chamber was guided towards optimising parameters such as the temperature and humidity inside the chamber and the appropriate duration of a given stage of garlic ripening in the chamber.
• The initial effectiveness of the applied modifications in the innovative process for obtaining black garlic was assessed on the basis of sensory evaluation of the product, i.e. its organoleptic (taste) qualities and the external appearance (shiny, dull) and texture (hardness, elasticity, chewiness) of the garlic cloves obtained.

Results achieved

Development of a new technology for industrial-scale production and implementation of a new, innovative product - black garlic of the Harnaś type in the form of cloves, covered by Annex I to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The project will be based on the development of a fermentation technology for white garlic of the Harnaś variety, not yet used in Poland, which will result in a finished product intended for direct consumption - black garlic with a very rich flavour.