S-allyl-L-cysteine (SAC) is a major bioactive compound in aged black garlic with multiple pharmacological benefits, including antioxidant and neuroprotective effects; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms of these benefits remain unclear. In our previous study, we demonstrated that cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), a sulfur-containing amino acid-metabolizing enzyme involved in the transsulfuration pathway, metabolizes S-nitroso-L-cysteine via a C-S lyase reaction. In this study, we investigated whether CSE-mediated metabolism is involved in the physiological effects of various cysteine derivatives, including SAC. We evaluated the potential of a series of S-alkylcysteine derivatives with varying alkyl chain lengths and degrees of unsaturation as CSE substrates. Recombinant CSE experiments revealed that thiol compounds were produced from propyl derivatives, whereas supersulfides were generated from ethyl, propyl, and allyl derivatives. Kinetic analysis demonstrated that the allyl derivative exhibited a stronger substrate affinity than the propyl derivative, similar to that of the endogenous substrate cystathionine. This study suggests a novel molecular basis for CSE-mediated metabolism and subsequent supersulfide production, which contributes to the diverse health-promoting effects of SAC in mammalian tissues.

The health-promoting potential of garlic stems largely from organosulfur compounds (OSCs), phenolics, and flavonoids that drive its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. However, key bioactive precursors such as alliin and allicin are chemically unstable, limiting the direct use of fresh garlic in functional food and nutraceutical development. To overcome this, various aging and processing techniques, most notably those used to produce black garlic, have been developed to convert these labile compounds into more stable, bioavailable derivatives, creating value-added products with enhanced functional properties. This review synthesizes current research on the biochemical transformations that occur during garlic aging and treatment, emphasizing the way different processing technologies influence the extent of compound conversion while preserving bioactivity. It critically examines extraction and purification strategies to maximize the recovery of bioactive compounds from aged or treated garlic, as well as recent advances in the extraction, isolation, and analytical characterization of these phytochemicals. Furthermore, previous studies demonstrated that garlic processing alters its phytochemical composition, with higher levels of certain compounds (such as SAC, phenolics, and flavonoids) and lower levels of other unstable compounds (such as alliin and thiosulfinates). The changes are influenced by the type of garlic, heat, pH, moisture, and processing time. While the application of conventional and emerging extraction methods can enhance bioactive recovery, limited kinetic studies, process standardization, and solvent usage remain important challenges. Future studies are needed to investigate time-dependent studies, process standardization, green extraction, bioaccessibility, pilot-scale validation, techno-economic analysis, and environmental assessment for the development of functional and nutraceutical products from garlic.

Background/Objectives: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is released by enteroendocrine L-cells, is the primary incretin hormone and plays a pivotal role in glucose regulation, appetite control, and metabolic health. While GLP-1 receptor agonists offer significant therapeutic benefits, there is a growing interest in identifying foods that can increase endogenous GLP-1 production through physiological processes. However, the physiological impact of modulating GLP-1 through diet is modest compared with activating GLP-1 receptors pharmacologically. This narrative review summarizes the latest reports on how specific food matrices and gut microbiota-dependent pathways influence GLP-1 release, emphasizing their importance in precision nutrition. Methods: Literature published between 2001 and 2026 was reviewed, including experimental, clinical, and translational studies examining the effects of foods on GLP-1 secretion, L-cell activation, nutrient-sensing receptors, microbial metabolites, and metabolic outcomes. Evidence was synthesized for food categories such as fermented dairy products, fermented vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fiber-rich root vegetables, berries, grapes, green tea, turmeric and oily fish. Results: Foods modulate endogenous GLP-1 secretion through complementary pathways involving L-cell stimulation and the activation of receptors, including FFAR2, FFAR3, GPR119, TGR5 and FFAR4 (GPR120), as well as the production of microbial metabolites. Fermented dairy products, kimchi, kefir, Jerusalem artichokes, chicory root, oats, garlic, onions, berries, grapes, green tea and oily fish support incretin regulation through microbial fermentation, the generation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acid signalling and the release of bioactive compounds. These food matrices shape metabolite profiles more effectively than isolated nutrients, highlighting the importance of the interaction between whole foods and the gut microbiota. Conclusions: Foods rich in fermentable substrates, polyphenols, bioactive peptides and omega-3 fatty acids are promising dietary modulators of physiological GLP-1 activity. Taking into account microbiome characteristics, metabolic phenotype and individual postprandial responses could facilitate the development of personalized nutrition strategies to help prevent and manage obesity, type 2 diabetes and related cardiometabolic disorders.

Winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) production is constrained by a complex of fungal pathogens, including Alternaria alternata, A. brassicicola, Botrytis cinerea, Phoma lingam and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, which are conventionally managed with synthetic fungicides such as prothioconazole. This study evaluated the biocontrol and biostimulant potential of two plant extracts (garlic, Allium sativum; Jerusalem artichoke, Helianthus tuberosus) and two bacterial fermentation supernatants (Enterobacter sp. and Paenibacillus sp.) against these pathogens under in vitro, greenhouse and field conditions (2022-2024, two locations: Winna Góra and Rzeszów, Poland). In vitro, the Paenibacillus sp. supernatant showed the broadest and strongest activity, with inhibition of mycelial growth comparable to prothioconazole for several pathogens, particularly A. brassicicola and B. cinerea. Garlic extract was most effective against S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea, with efficacy increasing with concentration and reaching complete inhibition at 10%; because each concentration was analysed in a separate one-way model, this concentration trend is reported descriptively and was not formally tested as a product × concentration interaction. Jerusalem artichoke extract was consistently the most effective agent against P. lingam (88-92% inhibition, largely independent of concentration), while Enterobacter sp. showed a comparatively narrow spectrum, with no measurable activity against B. cinerea and only negligible activity against S. sclerotiorum (≤6% inhibition at all tested concentrations). In the greenhouse, all four bioproducts significantly stimulated seedling growth, with fresh shoot weight increases exceeding 100% relative to the untreated control; fresh root weight showed a similar but non-significant trend. Under field conditions, garlic extract and Paenibacillus sp. gave the most consistent statistically significant and, in several site-years, fungicide-comparable control of Phoma stem canker (Phoma lingam) and Alternaria black spot (Alternaria spp.), occasionally matching the fungicide Protikon 250 EC; on the other hand, Enterobacter sp. was more variable and Jerusalem artichoke extract intermediate. Seed yield was increased over the untreated control at Rzeszów in both seasons, with the exception of Enterobacter sp. in 2023/2024, but not at Winna Góra, and thousand-seed weight was unaffected by treatment.

The optimization of agro-industrial products represents a key strategy to enhance their technological quality, stability, and market acceptance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different proportions of Allium ampeloprasum (elephant garlic, E) and Allium sativum genotypes Roselló 1 (R) and Taiwan 5 (T) on the nutritional, physicochemical, functional, rheological, and sensory properties of garlic paste formulations. Binary mixtures were prepared at E:A. sativum ratios of 25:75, 50:50, and 75:25 for each genotype, together with pastes containing 100% of each garlic material, resulting in nine formulations. The results showed that mixture proportion and A. sativum genotype influenced several product attributes. Among the mixtures, E25T75 showed the highest protein content (4.37%), whereas E50T50 exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity (41.71 ± 0.94 µmol TE 100 g[-1]). Syneresis was significantly affected by formulation, storage time, and their interaction (p < 0.001), demonstrating formulation-specific changes during the 21-day storage period. Quadratic Scheffé mixture modeling showed a significant positive deviation from additivity for antioxidant capacity in the E + T system (β12 = 19.0, p = 0.019), whereas the E + R system was consistent with additive behavior (β12 = -10.2, p = 0.455). In the sensory analysis, the first two principal components explained 83.5% of the total variability, with Dim1 (49.4%) associated mainly with color and texture and Dim2 (34.1%) with flavor and aroma. Among the mixtures, E75T25 showed the highest mean aroma score (3.57), whereas E75R25 and E25T75 showed the highest mean flavor scores (3.45 and 3.48, respectively). Overall, sensory responses varied according to both mixture proportion and A. sativum genotype, with no single formulation maximizing all evaluated attributes. These findings demonstrate that combining A. ampeloprasum with different A. sativum genotypes generates formulation-specific technological, functional, and sensory responses.

Inflammation is a central pathological process in many chronic diseases and is closely linked to tissue injury and organ dysfunction. Although anti-inflammatory drugs are widely used in clinical practice, their long-term application can be limited by adverse effects and inadequate efficacy, creating a need for safer and more effective therapeutic approaches. Allicin, the principal bioactive organosulfur compound derived from garlic, has attracted increasing research interest because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Preclinical evidence indicates that allicin can attenuate inflammatory responses, inhibit inflammatory cell activation, reduce oxidative stress, and limit tissue damage in various disease models. Protective effects have been reported in models involving the digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular, urinary, and nervous systems. This review summarizes the preclinical evidence for the anti-inflammatory effects of allicin across these organ systems, focusing on the underlying molecular mechanisms, shared signaling pathways, and organ-associated features. The chemical instability, rapid metabolism, and poor oral bioavailability of allicin remain important barriers to clinical translation, while high-quality clinical evidence from studies of purified allicin in humans remains limited. These challenges, together with potential strategies for overcoming them, are also discussed.

Allium ursinum L. (wild garlic) is a promising source of bioactive compounds for functional foods, nutraceuticals, and clean-label products. This review integrates current evidence on its phytochemical composition, biological activities, and food applications. The species contains sulfur compounds, polyphenols, vitamins, minerals, and pigments, whose levels vary with plant organ, developmental stage, environmental conditions, and processing. These constituents are associated mainly with antioxidant, antimicrobial, cardioprotective, and cytoprotective effects; however, evidence is derived predominantly from in vitro and animal studies, with limited clinical validation. In food systems, A. ursinum may enhance nutritional value, oxidative stability, sensory properties, and shelf life. Extraction, encapsulation, and stabilization technologies may support its use as a natural alternative to synthetic additives. Nevertheless, compositional variability, processing stability, bioavailability, authenticity, quality control, and raw-material supply remain major barriers to standardization and industrial application. Further research should combine phytochemical characterization with technological, safety, clinical, and sustainability assessments to enable reliable use of A. ursinum in food and nutraceutical products.

Garlic harbors an extensive array of pharmacological attributes, including anticancer, antioxidant, and antidiabetic capacities, as well as conferring protective effects on the cardiovascular, nervous and hepatic systems. The anticancer activities of diallyl disulfide (DADS) are primarily ascribed to its multifaceted regulatory effects on key biological processes of cancer cells, encompassing the suppression of proliferative capacity, the attenuation of invasive and metastatic potentials, the induction of apoptotic cell death, the facilitation of cellular differentiation, and the induction of cell-cycle checkpoint arrest. This systematic review surveys the scientific progress surrounding DADS within oncology, covering its roles in tumor biology, population-based studies, and anticancer mechanisms, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic uses, present clinical application, existing limitations and emerging research avenues. The work aims to integrate established findings to steer further mechanistic inquiry and translational projects focused on applying DADS in preventive and curative cancer interventions.

Surface and interface engineering for producing advanced materials with well-defined physicochemical features and sustained biological activities remains an arduous goal for scientists worldwide. This study presents a biopolymeric-mediated interfacial approach to functionalize a novel green synthesized Ag nanoparticle for tailoring surface and biological properties of silk. Ag nanoparticles are in-situ synthesized in garlic essential oil nanoemulsion (Ag-GNE) for the first time, followed by interfacial stabilization with chitosan (Ag-GNE-CS), and used for immediate silk surface coating. Characterizations of silk fibers in terms of its chemical compositions, morphology, topography, and interfacial chemical states, indicate successful incorporation of Ag nanoparticles on the surface of fibers. The silk treated with Ag-GNE-CS system exhibits outstanding antimicrobial effect upon E. coli, S. aureus, and A. niger. Moreover, it shows antioxidant potential through hydroxyl and superoxide free radicals scavenging. This treated silk also has UV-protective capacity with UPF 50[+]. In addition, the non-significant difference in the functional features of the treated silk before and after washing signified the advantage of chitosan-mediated interfacial modification in stabilizing Ag nanostructure and promoting its interfacial interaction with silk. Furthermore, ICP-OES results reflect that the chitosan-stabilized nanostructure controls Ag leaching throughout 15 washing cycles with less initial leakage of loosely bound nanoparticles, which reveals the environmentally friendly aspect of the formulation. This study proposes a safe, sustainable, and scalable design for functional nano-interfaces, while also providing a promising idea for next-generation healthcare and protective materials through surface and interface nano-engineering.

On March 18, 2025, the National Center for Communicable Diseases received reports of acute gastroenteritis among employees at a remote mining company in Omnogovi Province, Mongolia. We investigated this outbreak to identify the likely source, characterize its transmission, and recommend control measures. Utilizing a retrospective case-control design, we interviewed employees regarding their symptoms, restaurant visits, and menu exposures between March 14 and 17. A confirmed case was defined as gastrointestinal illness with Salmonella spp. detected in a rectal swab specimen. We tested clinical, retained-food, environmental, and water samples from Restaurants A, B, and C. Food-specific odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. Of 204 surveyed employees, 68 (33.3%) reported gastrointestinal illness, and 30 (14.7%) satisfied the confirmed case definition. Symptom onset among cases clustered from March 16 to 19, peaking on March 17. Confirmed cases were reported among patrons of Restaurants A (n = 9), B (n = 15), and C (n = 6). Several menu items served from March 14 to 16 were associated with confirmed cases, including kimbap at Restaurant A (OR: 118.2; 95% CI, 11.22-6,245); millet porridge with milk (OR: 40.02; 95% CI, 3.25-2,241); steamed dough soup with garlic (OR: 33.19; 95% CI, 4.79-407); broccoli soup at Restaurant B (OR: 16.08; 95% CI, 2.05-196.8); and dessert at Restaurant C (OR: 16.68; 95% CI, 1.00-1,089). Salmonella spp. was detected in 12 prepared-food samples and on a wooden meat-cutting board, and Salmonella Enteritidis was isolated from clinical specimens. Escherichia coli was also detected on food-contact surfaces. The diverse food associations across multiple restaurants, coupled with environmental contamination, strongly suggest cross-contamination within the shared catering system. This highlights the critical need for enhanced food safety management in remote mining-camp catering operations.