Growth Characteristics of Natural Magnesium Garlic with High Zinc Content and Enzyme Application Research

Abstract

Abstract Garlic is a widely cultivated crop that contains numerous chemical compounds with health benefits. Both magnesium and zinc are essential nutrients for the human body. Increasing the magnesium content in garlic could stabilize the allicin enzyme, preventing its decomposition or release. Moreover, increasing the zinc content in garlic could enhance its antioxidative properties and health benefits; additionally, zinc plays a vital role in the synthesis of various hormones. In this study, we powdered serpentine derived from natural sources and treated it by microwaving and sintering to enhance its crystallinity as well as its magnesium and zinc ion release rates. The powder was then used to produce a magnesium–zinc solution for cultivating garlic. The growth and garlic enzyme activity of the garlic were then examined. The results revealed that microwaving and sintering the serpentine powder reduced its impurities, enhanced its crystallinity (including surface area), and increased the magnesium and zinc ion release rates. When the cultivation solution was prepared using the powder that was microwaved and then sintered (400°C for 1 h), it exhibited the same beneficial properties as if the solution had been prepared with natural magnesium and zinc ions. The enriched garlic contained 32–41 mg/L of magnesium and10-15 mg/L of zine. It also exhibited more garlic glands and higher sulfide content compared with regular garlic. After air drying, the garlic glands of the enriched garlic remained intact and had high moisture content, indicating its high nutritional value and antioxidative properties. Furthermore, an enriched garlic enzyme extract had an approximately 8-fold increase in alliinase activity compared with an unenriched extract.