Loss Assessment during Postharvest and Handling of Thai Garlic Used for Processing

Garlic is one of the most economically important crops cultivated and consumed worldwide. The rising demand for garlic in the functional food market is driven by the growing interest in using processed products and supplements for benefits in health and wellbeing. Prior to processing, freshly harvested Thai garlic undergoes six distinct curing procedures; however, the losses and initial quality evaluation of the cured garlics have never been assessed. The research aims to evaluate losses and types of biomass during post-harvest processing using lab scale waste composition and mass-flow analyses, which align with the bio-circular green economic approach. Qualitative process flow diagrams (PFD) of each curing procedure were outlined, and the volume of post-harvest loss and types of biomasses were recorded. The study found that the overall losses during garlic curing were significantly higher than those associated with curing the bulb with root attached and the bulb alone. Moisture loss (>60%) was the greatest type of loss, followed by through biomass during initial and minimal processing. The aerial part accounted for >40% of total biomass loss, while root and skin were variable, depending on whether the initial process was conducted before or after curing. In terms of quality, the study found that the total phenolic and flavonoid content of garlic decreased after curing, and the level of total reducing sugar significantly decreased from the day of harvest. This result can be used as the criterion for handling Thai garlic after harvest. In addition, the biomass produced by postharvest processing can be utilised as a raw material for biorefinery extraction.