China is a large country that produces garlic. At present, the Chinese garlic amounts to over 70％ around the world. However, similar to most of agricultural products, in China, most of the garlic industrial chains are about primary and intermediate products. Deep processing is rare, and is mainly about fresh foods and refreshment exports. Therefore, the economic benefits are quite low.
At present, there are about 130 kinds of deep processing garlic products around the globe, but China only has about 40. According to surveys, recently years international markets are badly in need of garlic deep processing products, such as health foods, officinal products, foodstuff and ingredients, freeze-drying garlic, etc. Both the demands and the price increase with time passes.
Garlic belongs to the third generation. As a functional foodstuff which has special physiological regulating function, the special function of garlic has won widely attention around the world. As the saying goes: “where is garlic, there is no medicine”. The edible and officinal values of garlic are easy to know.
According to medical science, garlic can prevent and kill more than 20 bacteria. It can help protect human cardiovascular system, and prevent and treat cancers. It can strengthen our immune system. it is anti-aging, and can help keep us young and beautiful. As an ingredient, it is necessary in all kinds of dishes across the world. Since the ancient time, it is a universal and popular ingredient.
An analysis about the function and future of garlic
As a functional food that has special physiological regulating effect, garlic has got great attention from researches and exploration in the world. A new trend of garlic is coming. And market demand will be sizeable.
Some garlic deep processing products, such as quick-freeze garlic particles, pickled garlic particles, dried garlic slice, garlic powder, mashed garlic, garlic juice, garlic juice, etc, have got great economic benefits. With the development of technologies, some new garlic products that contain more technological contents, such as garlic oil and alllicin, can be used in medicines, cosmetics and food additives. The prospect will be more promising and prosperous.
Allicin can prevent growth of shigella dysenteriae and salmonella typhi. It has strong effects in killing staphylococcus and pneumococcus. In clinical practice, oral allicin can treat animal enteritis, dysentery, and anorexia, etc. Statistics show that in Germany, allicin sells better than the universal medicine aspirin; in Great Britain the annual sales volume is 600 million pills; in the United States, it is over 300 million pills; in Russian and Japan, recent years the sales volume rises greatly. Some garlic products that contain great amount of technological contents, such as garlic oil and allicin, become more and more popular.
In addition, sediment can be processed into high-quality garlic powder after being extracted, which can make the best use the garlic. The health food garlic powder can prevent and kill bacteria.
From this we can find out why every year foreign trade import large amount of garlic from China. Obviously they do not use it only as an ingredient. What they want is its officinal values and economic benefits they can get from it. Therefore, it is the only way that must be taken for garlic industry to make traditional industries transform into an industry with low costs and high additional values.
