Black garlic is obtained from fresh garlic (Allium sativum L.) that has been fermented for a period of time at a controlled high temperature (60-90°C) under controlled high humidity (80-90%). When compared with fresh garlic, black garlic does not release a strong offensive flavor owing to the reduced content of allicin. Enhanced bioactivity of black garlic compared with that of fresh garlic is attributed to its changes in physicochemical properties. Studies concerning the fundamental findings of black garlic, such as its production, bioactivity, and applications, have thus been conducted. Several types of black garlic products are also available in the market with a fair selling volume. In this article, we summarize the current knowledge of changes in the components, bioactivity, production, and applications of black garlic, as well as the proposed future prospects on their possible applications as a functional food product.

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) is a healthy and nutritionally important food item. In this study, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of 75% ethanol extracts from tartary buckwheat (EEB) against ethanol- and carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced liver damage. EEB were administered to C57BL/6 mice (ethanol induction) and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (CCl(4) induction) for 4 and 8 consecutive weeks, respectively. The major active compounds, rutin and quercetin, were also administered to ethanol- and CCl(4)-induced animals. EEB inhibited increase in serum aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels in the ethanol- and CCl(4)-induced animals; similar effects were found after rutin and quercetin administration. Moreover, EEB elevated the antioxidant enzyme activities, including those of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and inhibited the levels of hepatic inflammation in the ethanol- and CCl(4)-treated animals. This study suggests that EEB exerts hepatoprotection via promoting anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties against oxidative liver damage.

Intact and crushed jelly fig (Ficus awkeotsang Makino) achenes were extracted for various periods of time, and the changes in pectinesterase (PE) activities were determined. The activity of crude PE solution from intact achenes increased gradually, reaching a maximum (12 U/mL) at approximately 12 h, while the PE from crushed achenes was maintained at about 0.2 to 0.3 U/mL throughout the extraction. However, a sharp decline in PE activity (0.3 U/mL) of crude PE solution from intact achenes was observed when extract from crushed achenes was added. Heating in 100 Њ Њ Њ Њ ЊC water did not affect the inhibition (95% to 97%) of crude extract from crushed achenes (PE Inhibitor extract) on pea-pod (Pisum sativum L.) shell PE activity.

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Pectinesterase (PE) was isolated from jelly fig (Ficus awkeotsang Makino) achenes, then the optimal conditions for de-esterification and transacylation reactions were determined. Molecular weight of pectin (DE ϭ ϭ ϭ ϭ ϭ 62.8 %) when reacted with PE at pH 6.5 and 45 Њ Њ Њ Њ ЊC in 0.2 M NaCl for 20 min remarkably increased from the original 72 kDa to 410 kDa, as determined by Fractogel TSK 65(S) gel permeation chromatography. Prolonging the incubation time of pectin-PE mixtures to 2 and 4 h also increased the molecular weights of pectin. Therefore, transacylation reaction was considered to occur and to increase the molecular weight of pectins when de-esterification reaction was catalyzed by pectinesterase (PE).

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