There is no single allicin level that dehydrated garlic must have. Most food buyers judge strength by sensory testing in their own recipe. Buyers who need a number agree a measure, a lab method and a minimum value with the supplier, based on approved samples.
Dehydrated garlic does not hold much allicin itself. It holds alliin and the enzyme alliinase. When the garlic is rehydrated or crushed, they react and form allicin, the main source of the sharp garlic note. That is why labs often report allicin potential rather than allicin.
What affects pungency
- Variety: some garlic types are naturally stronger.
- Growing conditions: soil, water and climate change the sulphur compounds in the bulb.
- Drying temperature: too much heat can damage the enzyme, reducing the garlic's ability to form allicin.
- Roasting: roasted garlic is deliberately milder and sweeter.
- Steam treatment: can reduce pungency. Test treated samples, not untreated ones.
- Storage: strength falls over time, faster in warm, humid conditions.
- Form: powder releases flavour fastest but also loses it faster in storage.
Ways to measure it
Labs can measure allicin potential or total thiosulfinates, usually by HPLC or other chemical methods after a controlled rehydration step. Results depend heavily on the method, so a figure from one lab may not match another. If you set a number, name the method and use the same lab, or labs that have compared results.
For many food uses, a sensory panel or a standard cooking test against a reference sample is more practical. It measures what your customers actually taste.
Setting a spec
- Approve a reference sample and keep it sealed on both sides.
- Decide whether you need a chemical measure, a sensory test or both.
- If chemical, agree the method, the lab and a minimum figure based on tested samples, not on a figure from another supplier.
- Test each new crop, because strength varies by season.
- Set a shelf life after which strength is checked again.
Supplement and health product buyers
If you buy garlic powder for supplements rather than food, the strength claim becomes part of your product label. Your requirements, methods and documents will be stricter. Discuss them with your own regulatory adviser and make sure the supplier can support the claim with lab data for each lot.
Indian garlic and strength
Indian garlic is often described as pungent, which some buyers value. That is a general trade view, not a guarantee for any lot. Compare it with your current origin using the same tests, as covered in the difference between Indian and Chinese dehydrated garlic. For storage effects, see the shelf life of dehydrated onion and garlic.
How Creston & Co handles this
We collect garlic samples from several Gujarat processors and send them to a lab that can run the method you choose, alongside your current material. Once you approve a lot, we keep the reference and check later crops against it. Ask for a free sourcing review.