Garlic peel extract for food preservation

Claudia Villalobos

Scientists from the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) that not only garlic pulp provides health and nutritional benefits, but also benefits to health and nutrition, but also the peel of the vegetable also, the peel of the vegetable has antimycotic (against fungi)antifungal biological activity (against fungi) and bactericidal effect.

Garlic, or Allium sativum, has been used since ancient times for healing purposes curative. A group of specialists from the Center for Applied Biotechnology Research Center (CIBA) Tlaxcala, led by Dr. Carolina Ramírez López, elaborated on an extract from the peel of garlic cloves. At evaluated it, they found that it inhibits the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, which generates gloeosporioides fungus, which causes anthracnose, a disease that causes serious damage to this vegetable (leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits) and significant post-harvest or storage economic losses.

Dr. Ramirez Lopez said that, in addition to combating this fungus, the compound proved its effectiveness against bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes, so it could have applications in food and medical areas.

Productive Biotechnology

The CIBA Tlaxcala professor emphasized that one of the purposes of the Master's and Ph.D. programs in Productive Biotechnology is to develop applied science tailored to the needs of the productive sectors.

The extract obtained from garlic peel was prepared at the request of Alimentos Nutritivos del Altiplano, whose company authorities presented their problems to the polytechnic researchers regarding the large amount of this agro-industrial waste generated by the business, which produces pasta agro-industrial, which produces garlic seasoned pasta, and the possibility of using this resource to improve their products.

After various in vitro tests, CIBA Tlaxcala experts determined that the extract inhibits pathogenic microorganisms, so the company will be able to incorporate it as a natural preservative to extend the shelf life of garlic paste.

In Search of a Patent

Once the project is completed, it will be patented and a technology transfer will be sought. "With garlic residues, other products can be formulated with which the shelf life of different foods can be prolonged; for example, it has already been successfully tested on papaya," said the polytechnic specialist.

Inadequate crop management or poor control of phytopathogenic fungi cause serious losses that, in some cases, manifest themselves immediately, but in others, these microorganisms prevail during storage or after processing.

Due to its content of phenolic compounds (antioxidants), the extract elaborated at the Politécnico has the potential to act as a preservative for fruits and vegetables.

La especialista del IPN refirió que, al realizar pruebas de toxicidad se comprobó la inocuidad del producto, por lo que se puede garantizar su calidad. Actualmente valoran la forma en que se aplicará el producto biotecnológico.

The IPN specialist said that, after carrying out toxicity tests, the product's innocuousness was proven, so its quality can be guaranteed. They are currently evaluating how the biotechnological product will be applied.

Full Utilization

Due to the diversity of uses that garlic can have, polytechnic researchers will seek its integral use.

In addition to elaborating on the extract from the peel, the possibility of obtaining others from the stems or bulb of the vegetable, which would favorably affect the health care of those who consume the food treated with them, is being considered.

Another project under development for the use of garlic peel is focused on the manufacture of biofilms to coat fruits and vegetables to make them more resistant to pathogens and reduce crop losses.

"According to the results of some evaluations, we will determine if the extract can only be used externally on fruits and vegetables or if we could take advantage of its high pectin content to make biofilms and coat edible products with them to prolong their shelf life," he said.

Although garlic has been used for healing purposes since ancient times, it is necessary to determine its properties precisely. "Later on, we hope to establish alliances with experts in the medical-biological area to evaluate the antiviral properties of the extract, to have a natural alternative to treat infections caused by viruses," said Ramírez López.

Read this article and many others in our magazine, Gaceta Politécnica (Spanish only).