Evaluation of enzyme-assisted extraction on quality of garlic volatile oil

Application of enzymes to garlic prior to steam distillation/hydrodistillation resulted in a two fold increase in the yield of oil. The oil yield in case of cellulase, pectinase, protease and viscozyme pretreatment was in the range of 0.39–0.51%, as against 0.28% in a control sample by steam distillation, and in the range of 0.45–0.57% by hydrodistillation as against 0.31% in a control sample. Profiling of the garlic oil thus obtained was carried out by GC–MS. Di-2-propenyl trisulfide (52%) along with the corresponding di- and tetra-sulphides (11% and 5%) constituted the major portion of the oil. The other major flavour compounds identified were methyl 2-propenyl trisulfide (11.8%), vinyl dithiins (9.9%) and dithianes (4.1%). The studies demonstrate that enzymes facilitate the extraction of garlic oil, resulting in an increase in the yield of oil, with little change either in flavour profile or physicochemical properties of the oil.