Have you ever seen blue garlic? The reason why this garlic is edible is here.

After harvesting garlic in rural areas, avoid exposure to light. Cover garlic with garlic stems, and then light it for two or three days. If the harvested garlic is directly illuminated, it will turn blue as shown below.

For experienced farmers, seeing the above picture should not feel strange, because this is really a common thing in the field. But regarding the garlic skin to turn blue the mechanism really I have not found the accurate view, the individual simply talks about own view.

First of all, regarding the garlic skin turning blue after exposure, this phenomenon is only the phenomenon of garlic just harvested, and in the later stages of exposure garlic will not appear discoloration behavior. And from the discolored garlic to touch can be found, garlic is not a growth of fur and the like appear mildew, but only discoloration. That is to say, the discoloration behavior is induced by light.

There are many incentives for garlic to turn green, such as low temperature, white vinegar and other external environments, but these discoloration are aimed at garlic itself rather than garlic skin, which is also derived from the sulfur bioactive substances contained in garlic body. Under environmental stimulation, after a series of reactions, a series of garlic pigment precursors in garlic react and change color.

And garlic skin discoloration, I think this change involves a series of biochemical reactions, garlic skin at this time the content of bioactive substances more, and because garlic itself sulfur discoloration substances are more, in this stage of sunlight stimulation of a series of enzymatic reactions will also change color. In the late garlic ripening garlic skin gradually dehydrated, garlic skin among the bioactive substances gradually lost vitality, naturally will not change color.

It should be noted that this kind of discolored garlic will not affect the quality of garlic, garlic cloves can still be eaten.