FOOD NEWS
Why You Should Avoid Buying Garlic That Smells Like Garlic
By Andra Picincu
Garlic can turn any meal into a feast with its unique flavor derived from allicin, a naturally occurring sulfur compound that has amazing health benefits, such as helping improve blood lipids, reducing blood pressure, and decreasing cancer risk. Though garlic is sulfur-based, that doesn’t mean it should stink when you buy it.
Allicin, the compound that gives this vegetable its distinct smell, is only released when you crush, chop, or chew the garlic, meaning fresh whole garlic should have very little or no odor. Your best bet is to sniff before you buy, because the garlic may have been damaged during storage or transportation if it has a strong smell.
According to Bon Appétit, chopped garlic is only suitable to consume for one day. If you buy a garlic head with missing pieces, it may not be safe to use raw, but you may still be able to use it in cooked recipes after removing bruises and blemishes if there are no obvious signs of rot.