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Physico-chemical and storage

characteristics of garlic paste
ARTICLE in JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION
MARCH 2001
Impact Factor: 1.16 DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-4549.2001.tb00440.x

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PHYSICO-CHEMICALAND STORAGE CHARACTERISTICS

OF GARLIC PASTE
JASIM AHMED', PAWANPREET and US.SHIVHARE
Department o/Food Science and Technology
Guru Nanak Dev University
Amritsar-143005. India
Accepted for Publication May 19,2000

ABSTRACT
A processedpaste with a total solidr andpH value of 33% and 4.1, respectively
was preparedfiom fiesh garlic by addition of 10% sodium chloride (w/w) and
citric acid. Appearance of green pigment (in terms of the Hunter color -a* value)
was noticed in the product during preparation. Paste was thermally processed at
70,80 or 90C, respectivelyfor 15 min. Greening ofpaste decreased with increase
in temperature. Rheological data revealed that garlic paste behaved as a
psuedo-plastic fluid with afrow behavior and consistency index of 0.14 and 279
Pa.s", respectively. The paste was analyzed periodically for color and
microbiological counts. The product was found to be shelfstable at 25C for a
period of at least 6 months. The green coloration decreased sign@cantly (p C
0.05) during storage.
INTRODUCTION
Garlic (Allium sativum L) is an important Allium species, known for its
therapeutic uses and as a flavoring agent since ancient times. Garlic contains allicin
which has antioxidant, antibacterial and antibioticproperties (Augusti 1996). It has
been recognized as a valuable condiment for foods in everyday cooking. India is
a major producer of garlic and ranks third in production (0.356 million tons), after
Korea and China (Peter 1996).
Fresh garlic is characterizedas having a distinct aromatic odor, which is seldom
carried over into processed garlic (Pemtti and Crapiste 1997). Quality of garlic
products is evaluated on the basis of their sensory characteristics, mainly color and
flavor intensity or pungency. The flavor of garlic is attributed to the sulfur
containing volatiles. By action of an enzyme, allinase, allyl-S-cysteine sulfoxide
(alliin) is converted to diallyl thiosulfimates (allicin) and finally disproportionately
to disulfides and thiosulfmates (Carson 1967). The factors affecting the aroma
intensity are the variety, maturity level and conditions during processing and
lCorrespondingAuthor
Journal of Food Processing and Preservation 25 (2001) 15-23. All Rights Reserved.
"Copyright 2001 by Food & Nutrition Press#Inc., Trumbull. Connecticut.

15

16

J. AHMED, PAWANPREET and US.SHIVHARE

storage. Considerableloss of flavor components of garlic takes place during drymg

(Pezzutti and Crapiste 1997). The proper control of various steps during processing
is the key to producing a garlic product with a flavor profile as close to fresh garlic
as possible. Paste is one such alternative that would retain the delicate and fresh
odor of garlic.
Greening of garlic paste during preparation and storage has been recognized as
a major quality problem. Lukes (1986) indicated that the amino acid S-(l-propenyl)
cysteine sulfoxide was responsible for the development of green color and
recommended that the garlic bulbs should be stored at or above 23C for at least one
month to prevent greening of the product. However, no specific information is
available on the production of paste and its greening during preparation and
storage. The objective of the present study was to prepare garlic paste, which would
be acceptable to consumers with delicate fiesh odor, color and to study its
physico-chemical and microbiological properties during storage.
MATERIALS AND METHODS

Preparation of Paste
Fresh garlic bulbs (Vuriev: Punjub Gurlic-1) of 16 weeks maturity were
procured locally after harvesting and stored at 2% for one month before
processing. The garlic bulbs were subjected to mild pressure by hand to separate
into cloves. Cloves were dried in a tray drier at 40C for 30 min to facilitate peeling.
Peeling was done manually. After peeling, cloves were blanched at 9OC for 15 min
in water (Rejano et ul. 1997) followed by grinding in a laboratory size grinder. The
ground material was passed through a 14-meshsieve to obtain a product of uniform
consistency. The yield of the ground material was 90%. Desired quantity of sodium
chloride (w/w) was added to increase the total solids (TS). The final pH was
adjusted to 4.1 by adding 30% citric acid (w/v) solution. The paste was pasteurized
at selected temperatures(70,80 or 9OC) in a stainless steel container by heating in
a constant temperature water bath and was continuously stirred to achieve uniform
heating. Pasteurization was carried out for 15 min once the temperature at the
geometric center reached to the desired level and immediately filled in presterilized
glass bottles. The packed bottles were cooled in forced air and stored at 25*1C for
further analysis.

Total Solids
Sodium chloride was determined by titration with silver nitrate (Ranganna
1986). To determine total solids, paste was dried under vacuum at 70C (Ranganna
1986) until constant weight was obtained (16-18 h). The dried sample was cooled

GARLIC PASTE

17

in a dessicator and weighed. The percent total solids were determined using Eq.(1):
% Total Solids = (massof dried sample / mass of fresh sample) x 100

(1)

Titratable Acidity and pH

The titratable acidity and pH of paste samples were measured following the
method described by Wang et al. (1 995). A 5 g sample was diluted with 45 mL
distilled water and pH was measured using a pH meter (Systronics, Mumbai, India)
at room temperature. For titratable acidity measurement, 5 g paste was diluted with
95 mL distilled water making the volume to 100 mL, filtered through Whatman 41
filter paper and titrated to pH 8.1, with 0.1 N NaOH using phenolphthalein
indicator. Acidity was expressed as percent of citric acid by weight.
Color
Color was measured by Hunter color Difference Meter (D25 DP-9000 system,
Hunter Associates Laboratory Inc., Reston, VA). About 200 g homogenized garlic
paste was tightly filled in a standard optical cell having 6-cm diameter for
measurement. The instrument was calibrated with a cream standard tile (L*=76.74,
a* = -1.25, b* = 21.58) under illuminated conditions. The information given by L*,
a* and b* is generally expressed as total color of prepared paste. L* represents the
lightness index (0 for black to 100 for white), a* represents greenness and redness
(+ 100 for red and -80 for green) while b* represents for yellowness and blueness
(+70 for yellow and -80 for blue).
Rheological Properties
A Brookfield DV-II+ viscometer (Brookfield Engineering Laboratory, Inc.
Stoughton, MA) equipped with a TC 500 temperature controller was used for the
rheological measurements of garlic paste. S##4 spindle of the viscometer was
selected for the sample measurement and used without spindle guard of the
viscometer. The thermostatic bath was used to control the working temperature
(25C). Shear stress, shear rate and apparent viscosity data were obtained fiom the
viscometer directly at various spindle rotations (10 to 100).
Water Activity
Water activity (a,,,) of the product was determined by measuring the equilibrium
relative humidity (ERH) by the graphical interpolation method of Landrock and
Proctor (1951). Approximately 5 g paste was exposed for 7 days to selected relative
humidities (20, 40,60, 80 or 100%) at room temperature (32C) in desiccators
containing known concentrations of sulfuric acid (Ruegg 1980). The gain or loss

18

J. AHMED, PAWANPREET and U.S.SHIVHARE

in mass of each sample was plotted with respect to relative humidity. A smooth
curve was drawn through the plotted points and the ERH interpolated at the point
where the curve intersected the zero base line. The water activity (a,,.) was
calculated as EWlOO.
Microbial Analysis
Paste sampleswere analyzed for standard plate counts (SPC), coli form counts,
lactobacillus and yeast and mold count using the methods prescribed by ICMSF
(1992). Each experimentwas replicatedthrice and the averagevalues were reported.
Statistical Analysis
Paired t-tests and regression analysis of the experimental data was performed
using the method described by Gacula and Singh (1994). Significance was
determined at p 0.05.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The Hunter color L*,a* and b* values of fresh garlic puree were 65.1, -7.33
and 27.79, respectively. Garlic puree had a pH of 5.8, a pH level at which
microbial spoilage would be rapid. Garlic paste was prepared by adding sodium
chloride at the rate of 5,lO and 15 percent (w/w) and adding 30% citric acid (w/v)
to adjust its pH and titratable acidity to 4.1 and 0.35%, respectively. Preliminary
sensory trials using 15 trained panelists indicated the consumer preference for the
paste containing 10% sodium chloride. The overall acceptability scores for paste
containing 5, 10 and 15% sodium chloride were 6.2,7.3 and 5.4, respectively, on
the 9 point Hedonic scale. Subsequent studies were therefore carried out on the
paste containing 10% sodium chloride. Analysis of paste revealed that it contained
33% total solids,9.6% sodium chloride and 0.35% titratable acidity while pH and
water activity values were 4.1 and 0.86, respectively. The Hunter color L*,a* and
b* values of the paste were 58.26,-9.54 and 20.96, respectively.
T h e m 1 processing of garlic paste was carried out in the neighborhood of the
pasteurization temperature (70,80 and 90C) for 15 min to investigate its effect on
green coloration. Effect of the processing temperature on the Hunter color -a*
value is shown in Fig. 1. The -a* value decreased significantly (p< 0.05) with
increase in temperature. A process temperature of 90C was considered as the
optimum as it resulted in minimum greening (a* =-9.54). Baranowski (1985) and
Giridhar et al. (1996) recommended a process temperature of 80C for ginger and
ginger-garlic paste with a pH of approximately 4.
Effect of various constituentson the color of garlic paste is shown in Fig. 2. The
Hunter color a* value of the fresh garlic puree was -7.33. Slight decrease in green
color (a*=-7.12) was observed during addition of salt whilethe addition of citric

10

12

Control

Temperature, C

T 80

FIG.1 . EFFECT OF PROCESS TEMPERATURE ON HUNTER -a* VALUE

T 70

T 90

Ld

20

J. AHMED, PAWANPREET and U.S.SHIVHARE

GARLIC PASTE

21

acid alone substantially increased the greening (a* = -9.68) of garlic paste. The
Hunter color a* value of the paste containingboth common salt and citric acid was
-9.48. Statistical analysis indicated that the effect of salt was not significant
(pr0.05), while the effect of acid addition had significant effect on greening
(pcO.05). That is, the acidic condition of paste considerably favored the formation
of green pigment. Lukes (1986) and Rejano et al. (1997) have reported similar
observation.
Rheological behavior of garlic paste showed that the paste was psuedoplastic
in nature and the power law model (t = Ky") described well the relation between
shear stress (7) and shear rate (y) (Rao 1977). Linear regression of the power law
model was carried out to compute the flow behavior index (n) and consistency
index (K). The flow behavior index and consistency index values of paste were
0.14 and 279 Pas", respectively, (R2= 0.972). Apparent viscosity of paste at 25C
and 100 rpm was estimated at 4.71 Pa.s.
After processing at 9OC for 15 min, garlic paste was stored at 25C for 6 months
to study the variation in color and microbiologicalcharacteristics. Effect of storage
period on Hunter color -a* value is shown in Fig. 3. There was a significant (p <
0.05) decrease of -a* value with storage. Rate of green pigment disappearancewas
faster during frst three months as compared to later three months.
10

T-

--

Storage period, month

FIG. 3. EFFECT OF STORAGE ON GREEN COLOR DISAPPEARANCE

J. AHMED, PAWANPREET and U.S.SHIVHARE

22

Total plate count (TPC)and lactobacillus count of the paste before thermal
processing were 16.7 x lo3and 4160,respectively; while the coliform and yeast
and mold counts were less than 10 and 100,respectively. Thermal processing of
paste at 9OC for 15 min reduced TPC to 100 while lactobacillus, coliform, yeast
and mold were found to be negative. The microbiological count of the paste during
6 months storage is reported in Table 1. The TPC value increased from 100 to 500
CFU/g where as colifom was negative and lactobacillus and yeast and mold counts
increased from nil to less than 100 during 6 months storage at 25C.The presence
of bacteria of public health significance were typically low in the product and were
considerably lower than the prescribed count (Pimm 1994). It can therefore be
inferred that prepared garlic paste stored up to 6 months was safe microbiologically.
TABLE 1 .
MICROBIOLOGICALDATA ON GARLIC PASTE DURING STORAGE
Storage Period TPC
Colifodg
Lactobacilludg
Yeast and Moldg
(Month)
(CFU/g)

100

Nil

Nil

Nil

400

Nil

Nil

Nil

500

Nil

400

400

CONCLUSION
Garlic paste was prepared by adding 10% sodium chloride (w/w) and 30% citric
acid (w/v) to puree. The paste behaved as a pseudo-plastic fluid. The minimum
greening was observed when the paste was processed at 9OC for 15 min. Green
coloration of the product decreased significantly during storage. The product was
found to be safe microbiologically while stored at 25C for a period of at least 6
months.
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64,334-336.
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CARSON, J.F. 1967. Chemistry and Physiology of Flavours. pp. 390, AVI,
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GACULA JR.,M.C.and SINGH, J. 1994. Statistical Methods in Food and
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GIRIDHAR, N., SATYANARAYANA, A. and JOSHI, G.J. 1996. Studies on
preparation and storage of ginger-garlic paste. Indian Food Packer 3, 13-21.

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ICMSF. 1992. Compendium of Methods for Microbiological Examination of

Foodr, (C. Vandeszant and D.F. Splittstoesser,eds.) pp. 961-974, University of
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PETER, K.V. 1996. Garlic has greater potential for export. Spice India 9,4-7.
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