Chemical Characterization of « Terroir » Effect in Garlic Productions
Date(s)
du 22 mai 2011 au 26 mai 2011
11th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON ENGINEERING AND FOOD (11th ICEF 2011)
22-26 mai 2011 ATHENS - GREECE
Lieu(x)
Participation de J. Auger, I. Arnault
Garlic is cropped world-wide and is well-appreciated for its flavour properties and health benefits.
These benefits are related to the organosulphur compounds, stored in the bulbs, particularly the alk(en)yl cysteine sulfoxides, like alliin and derivatives. This analytical work provides information on the influence of environmental factors on the flavor quality of garlic bulbs. Commercial varieties were compared in experiments carried out in field conditions under various climatic contexts to show evidence of terroir effects. An ion-pairing HPLC method was used to quantify organosulfur compounds from the harvested bulbs according to a protocol formerly reported. This technique allows the quantification of allicin, alliin, isoalliin and their peptide intermediates.
The influence of cropping year and geographic location emphasized the influence of environmental and climatic factors. Differences in soil sulphur could partially explain the location differences but climatic data suggested also a possible role of other environmental factors, such as the temperature, water availability and light radiation.These results were sufficiently conclusive to permit the registration of the variety ail blanc de Lomagne as Protected Geographic Indication (CE n°1229/2008). Another application of the differentiation in aromatic signature is the control quality of the garlic commercialization. Indeed, we proved a falsification in the origin of spanish garlic production.
