Black Garlic: Controlled Maillard Transformation

Black garlic — produced by holding whole garlic bulbs at 60–70°C for 3–4 weeks in a high-humidity environment — is not fermented: it is the product of controlled Maillard reactions and enzymatic activity at a temperature too low for bacterial growth. The amino acids (particularly arginine, which is abundant in garlic) react with the fructose sugars in the garlic over the extended time period, producing melanoidins (the black colour), new aromatic compounds (balsamic, tamarind, and molasses notes), and a texture transformation from crisp-firm to soft and jammy.

• Dark soy sauce (produced through extended aging with Maillard development), doenjang (with the Maillard darkening from amino acid development), Worcestershire sauce (with its Maillard-adjacent complex