ENHANCEMENT OF QUALITY CRITERIA IN GARLIC BY GAMMA IRRADIATION

Quality criteria for garlic bulbs (Allium sativum L.) are related to appearance, pungency, size and sanitary state. In red cultivars, the color of the protective leaf of each clove becomes another important quality criterion. Under storage conditions, garlic bulbs maintain their quality for 120 days, apart from a slight loss of weight. After that, the sprouting phase starts, characterized by a rapid deterioration of the edible organ, exhibited as loss of texture, weight and flavor. The application of gamma rays in commercial doses (60 Gy) to dormant garlic bulbs extends the storage and commercialization periods by 60 days (to almost 180 days after harvest).

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of commercial doses (60 Gy) of gamma rays applied to dormant red garlic bulbs, with respect to the quality criteria of color and weight.