Why Does Garlic Turn Blue?: Unraveling the Mystery Behind the Color Change
Garlic has been a staple ingredient in many cuisines across the world for thousands of years. We all know that it has antiseptic and antioxidant properties, besides adding a pungent and savory flavor to dishes. But have you noticed that sometimes garlic can turn blue-green or even a deep shades of blue? This color change in garlic is quite intriguing, and as we delve deeper into the reasoning behind it, we will explore the fascinating biological and chemical processes that make it happen. Below, we will provide an in-depth study of why garlic turns blue using scientific explanations, observations, and results from various studies.
What Turns Garlic Blue?
Before explaining why garlic turns blue, it’s essential to understand the importance of sulfur compounds in garlic. Specifically, alliin (S-allyl-6-glutamyl-alanine) is the main sulfur-compound responsible for the characteristic, pungent smell and flavor associated with garlic**. When Garlic is crushed, chopped, or cooked, allicin is released from the Allium sativum‘s cells. This subsequent breakdown of allicin leads us to the next section.
Pathways of Allicin Production and Breakdown
Formation of Colorless Compounds
When allicin is separated from the cell, it experiences a series of transformations, resulting ultimately in the formation of a range of colorless compounds. By breaking down the double bond in their molecular structure, the original sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen molecules become significantly less reactive, making them impossible to be identified using traditional microscopic techniques.
Biological Pathways and Alliinase Enzyme
We now have two primary possibilities for why Garlic turns, blue. Both are founded on the assumption that the sulfur allicin breaks down into different volatile compounds, resulting in the observed pigment change. In reality, there really are two distinct enzymes that directly influence the formation of volatile compounds
Amino Transferase Enzyme Transformation
Through the interaction between the amino base and the acidic sulfur-allicin compound, a series process of reactions leads to the formation two different sulfur-organic-sulfur-containing compounds at the molecular level. This has a significant impact on the color of those compounds.
Why Does Garlic Turn Blue Anyway?
The interaction between the sulfur, organic, and basic sulfur compounds we discussed ultimately leads to the development of the most common shade seen in Garli , Blue due to the reaction involving the amino residue and the sulfur component of garlic. Specifically, the combination of both the double bond in their molecular compounds and the interaction with the amino foundation leads to the appearance of the, and the blue color, when allichin breaks down into other volatile compounds or when the cell breaks after crushing, chopping, or cookingGarlic.
Key Factors Influencing the Color Change
- In the process of producing the volatile flavor compounds, specific enzymes react with sulfur-allicn to change the color based on the conditions
2.* pH values greatly influence the reaction as well ** - Reaction temperature influence as it does throughout the process of allicin breakdown leading to the final, stable color
Conclusion
Garlic’s color changed due to various biological biochemical processes and reactions of sulfur as well as other substances. After the breakdown of allicin, a double bond is present at the molecular stages, which can also lead t