Enhanced Preservation of Bioactives in Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum L.) through Advanced Primary Processing

Abstract

Medicinal and aromatic plants, such as wild garlic (Allium ursinum), are valuable sources of bioactive compounds in traditional and modern medicine. However, the challenges in cultivating wild garlic and its seasonality limit its availability primarily to early spring. To maintain the quality of wild garlic, effective postharvest practices are essential, considering the delicate nature of its leaves and their susceptibility to rapid decay. This study focuses on implementing eco-friendly postharvest practices to address the seasonality and perishability of wild garlic. Optimizing storage conditions and drying processes is essential for extending its shelf life and preserving bioactive components. Two postharvest approaches were evaluated, with vacuum packaging at 4 °C demonstrating the most effective preservation of sensory attributes and bioactive composition over a 9-day period. Additionally, different drying methods, including convective and vacuum drying at various temperatures, were investigated. When the best drying temperature was selected, the results revealed that convective drying is more efficient at preserving phenolic compounds in wild garlic leaves at 60 °C. Conversely, vacuum drying shows superior preservation of alliinase activity and total thiosulfinate content at 70 °C. Furthermore, this study explores the utilization of unused wild garlic, which is typically discarded as waste during storage. By employing suitable drying methods, this material can be preserved and provide a valuable source of phenolic compounds (7.17–10.12 g GAE/100 g) and thiosulfinate (9.35–12.72 mg AC/110 g) compounds for various extraction processes. Accordingly, this research presents significant implications for the integration of wild garlic into diverse industries, particularly in the fields of food and pharmaceutical sectors. The findings offer opportunities for sustainable utilization, economic benefits, and a more environmentally friendly and economically viable approach to wild garlic production and processing.

Evaluation of Cookies Enriched with Osmodehydrated Wild Garlic from Nutritional and Sensory Aspects

“…The addition of fresh wild garlic caused a statistically significant increase in the initial concentration of catechin, as well as the detection of a certain concentration of kaempferol derivatives, chlorogenic and ferulic acid. This is in compliance with a report by authors who examined the phenolic profile of wild garlic and proved that kaempferol derivatives were the most dominant [ 28 ]. Carutenuto et al [ 46 ] identified five kaempferol glycosides in the ethanolic extracts of wild garlic, among which two were bound by p -coumaric and ferulic acids.…”

“…According to the concentration of detected compounds in cookies with fresh wild garlic leaves (sample 2), kaempferol derivatives were followed by catechin, ferulic, and chlorogenic acids. In the research of Stupar et al [ 28 ], the presence of catechins was confirmed in the extract of wild garlic, obtained by extraction with subcritical water. The presence of ferulic acid is in accordance with the findings of Vlase et al [ 50 ], who detected ferulic and p -coumaric acids in the hydrolyzed and non-hydrolyzed ethanolic extract of wild garlic, while they detected kaempferol only in the hydrolyzed extract.…”

“…Thiosulfates, among which allicin is the main representative, are responsible both for the characteristic taste and smell of wild garlic, and its antioxidant and therapeutic properties [ 27 ]. As an addition to cookies, primarily in terms of nutrition, wild garlic leaves are a promising raw material, with the limiting factors being the high water content and short seasonal availability of this plant [ 28 ]. By osmotic dehydration of wild garlic leaves, a dehydrated semi-product of prolonged durability is obtained, with a significantly higher content of dry matter, so it can be added in larger quantities to the cookie formula and be available for more extended periods for cookie production [ 29 ].…”